KIMM to carry out organizational reform to secure national strategic technologies

- KIMM plans to establish and reshuffle research institutes with a focus on semiconductor, display, hydrogen, and advanced robot and manufacturing sectors

- KIMM will emphasize its flagship brands by renaming departments based on their missions and products, and will reinforce its personnel development capabilities 

□ The Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (President, Dr. Seoghyeon Ryu, hereinafter referred to as KIMM), an institute under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Science and ICT, will carry out an organizational reform with a focus on strategically securing national strategic technologies and solidifying its footing to achieve “Digital-KIMM” by 2030, thereby laying the foundation for its growth into a global comprehensive research institute spearheading “K-Machine.” 

□ The KIMM announced that, as of February 5, 2024 (Monday), it will carry out an organizational overhaul to carry out research and development of national strategic technologies and to promptly respond to the government’s approaches to strategic sectors and workforce development. By identifying directly related sectors among the nation’s 12 strategic technologies, the KIMM plans to introduce a research institute system suitable for promptly responding to the government’s policy directions by, for instance, establishing the “National Technology Center (NTC)” and the “Global TOP Strategic Research Group,” in addition to conducting research and development of strategic technologies. 

< Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials Organization>

□ As for national strategic technologies, the “KIMM Institute of Autonomous Manufacturing” will be established for the semiconductor and display sectors, while the “KIMM Institute of Carbon- neutral Energy Machinery” and the “KIMM Institute of AI Robotics” will be established for the hydrogen sector and the advanced robot and manufacturing sectors, respectively. Additionally, the “Semiconductor Manufacturing Research Center ,” “Liquid Hydrogen Technology Research Center,” and the “Department of Bionic Machinery” will be newly established as suborganizations of the research institutes. In other words, these research institutes will be fostered as organizations that have the capacity to cover relevant sectors beyond the thresholds of research headquarters that focus on a specific field. 

□ Instead of being under the umbrella of the President, these research institutes will be established under the umbrella of the Vice President, whose role as the CTO (Chief Technical Officer) will be reinforced to encourage integration among different research organizations. Moreover, the KIMM plans to lead the growth of these organizations by establishing a step-by-step organizational development system whereby laboratories gradually evolve into research centers, and then into research headquarters and research institutes.

□ In particular, in an effort to encourage digital transformation and AI technology integration in the machinery sector, the KIMM will newly establish the “Virtual Engineering Platform Research Division.” Additionally, the KIMM plans to focus on research in the digital twin sector through the “Virtual Engineering Research Center” and the “Department of Industrial Machinery DX.” 

□ Moreover, to clearly represent the KIMM’s flagship brands, the names of existing departments, which currently are based upon the technological or academic fields that are related to the departments, will be amended by taking into account the mission and the core product of each department, such as the “Nano-lithography & Manufacturing Research Center,” “Heat Pump Research Center,” and the “Department of Advanced Battery Manufacturing Systems.” 

< Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials  Panoramic view>

□ Meanwhile, in line with the government’s vision to foster professionals related to national strategic technologies, the KIMM plans to further accelerate the establishment of a foundation for efficiently nurturing science and technology experts. To this end, the KIMM will newly establish the Department of Human Resources Development which will focus on strengthening the virtuous cycle of talent by carrying out training on future research capabilities on the basis of the job analyses of its internal employees and deploying research personnel to the right positions. In addition, the “KIMM School,” which will be in charge of nurturing trainees into professionals whom the country needs and dispatching them to the society, and identifying research positions and providing support so that excellent professionals can be cultivated, will also be newly established under the umbrella of the Vice President of the KIMM. 

< The President of Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials, Dr. Seoghyeon Ryu>

□ Dr. Seoghyeon Ryu, the President of the KIMM was quoted as saying, “Based on the organizational reform, KIMM will evolve into a global comprehensive research institute spearheading “K-Machine” through the “BEST-KIMM” management, which stands for “Big Picture,” “Essence,” “Speed,” and “Talent.” We will make every effort to strategically secure national strategic technologies and to achieve “Digital-KIMM” by 2030.”