Published : Jan. 6, 2017 - 13:27
Acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn on Friday instructed top policymakers to strive harder to secure future growth dynamos based on creative ideas and new technologies to stay ahead in the increasingly stiff global industrial competition.
During the policy briefing on fostering the country's growth momentum in the new year, Hwang also reiterated his vow to continue "bold and intensive" deregulatory reform to help nurture new industries and create jobs.
Acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn (C) speaks during the policy briefing on securing future growth engines in the new year at the central government complex in Seoul on Jan. 6, 2017. (Yonhap)
"The fourth industrial revolution that is rapidly transpiring at the moment is posing both challenges and new opportunities for us," Hwang said during the briefing given by the ministries of science and future planning, agriculture and culture, and other government agencies.
"To turn these challenges into opportunities to make the next leap forward, it is important for us to create new growth dynamos through new goods and services that are produced by the convergence of creative ideas and new technologies," he added.
The ongoing industrial revolution refers to the fast-paced transformation marked by the convergence of cutting-edge technologies, such as artificial intelligence, big data and the Internet of Things.
Since this week, Hwang has been receiving New Year's policy briefings from government ministries and agencies. He took over as the acting president on Dec. 9 after President Park Geun-hye was impeached over a string of corruption allegations.
During the briefing, Hwang also stressed the need to develop new cultural content employing state-of-the-art technologies, such as virtual and augmented reality applications, while pointing to the great economic potential of cultural products and tourism programs.
"By turning our human, material and cultural assets into tourism resources, we should create tourist programs that can be sought after by not only our citizens but also foreigners," he said.
Commenting on the agricultural and fishery industries, Hwang raised the need to transform them into technology-based industries that can generate more economic profits.
"By incorporating information and communications technologies that will enhance the competitiveness of the industries in various aspects, such as the quality and safety of their products, the industries have to be morphed into high-tech businesses," Hwang said.
On the country's ailing shipping industry, he directed officials to consistently carry out measures to sharpen their competitiveness and strive to regain international confidence in the industry.
Later in the day, Hwang made his monetary donation to South Korea's Red Cross chief Kim Sung-joo.
He said that the government, along with citizens, will continue to spread the "community spirit" across the country to better take care of the socially disadvantaged, particularly when the country faces a set of economic challenges at home and abroad.
(Yonhap)