5G Smart Manufacturing Innovation Convergence Security Seminar Held
Exploring Smart Factory Expansion and Security Measures
The Ministry of Science and ICT plans to expand its Convergence Security Graduate School.

The Ministry of Science and ICT and the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, along with Representatives Lee Jong-geol and Noh Woong-rae of the Democratic Party of Korea and Representative Yoon Sang-jik of the Liberty Korea Party, jointly held a seminar titled “Smart Manufacturing Innovation and Convergence Security in the 5G Era” at the National Assembly Members’ Hall on the 8th.

This seminar was organized as part of a collaborative project between the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Ministry of SMEs and Startups to strengthen smart factory security. It was designed to reflect the voices of the field and jointly explore measures to expand smart factories and respond to cybersecurity. Many experts from the National Assembly, government, industry, academia, and research attended.

At the seminar, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups presented on the topic of 'Smart Factory Expansion Strategy,' SK Infosec presented on 'Smart Factory Security Threats and Response Technology,' and the Ministry of Science and ICT presented on 'Measures to Strengthen Convergence Security.'

First, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, the competent ministry for the smart factory expansion project, emphasized manufacturing innovation through smart factories by announcing four promotion directions in the ‘Smart Factory Expansion Strategy’: ① factory innovation (making 50% of small and medium-sized manufacturers smart), ② industrial complex innovation (establishing manufacturing innovation), ③ workplace innovation (people-centered workplace culture), and ④ innovation base (private and regional centered constant innovation).

Then, SK Infosec Through 'Smart Factory Security Threats and Response Technology', he emphasized 'ultra-security' that goes beyond the value of existing security, saying that there have been incidents where cyberattacks on manufacturing facilities have caused significant damage, and provided a detailed explanation of security technology to be applied to smart factories. He also emphasized the need to develop a standard security model and train convergence security experts who can understand both manufacturing processes and security to strengthen smart factory security.

Lastly, the Ministry of Science and ICT announced in its "Fusion Security Reinforcement Plan" that in order to respond to security threats expected in the hyper-connected era, it will develop and disseminate security diagnosis and security models for each core service, such as smart factories, and expand the Graduate School of Convergence Security to cultivate key convergence security talents through industry-academia cooperation between leading domestic and foreign companies and universities. It also announced that it will strengthen cooperation between related industries and ministries.

In the panel discussion, experts from the manufacturing and security fields, including the Graduate School of Convergence Security, the Smart Manufacturing Innovation Promotion Group, the Korea Internet & Security Agency, the Korea ICT Convergence Network, and SK Infosec, participated under the topic of “Creating a Safe Smart Manufacturing Environment Based on Information Security,” and presented various opinions on hacking and cybersecurity threats to smart factories due to hyper-connectivity such as factory automation, unmanned (robotized), and 5G mobile communication applications.

Rep. Lee Jong-geol, who hosted the seminar, said in his opening remarks, “Smart factories are the result of the convergence of information and communication technology and the manufacturing industry, so when applying security, we must understand the characteristics of the manufacturing industry and apply security from a convergence perspective that fits it.” He added, “We prepared this seminar to create an opportunity for both the government and the industry to pool their wisdom and strength to successfully achieve manufacturing innovation and enhanced security through smart factories.”

Min Won-ki, Second Vice Minister of Science and ICT, said, “Smart factories are a promising field that can bring about manufacturing innovation by applying 5G technology, but it is a field that requires thorough preparation against increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks,” and added, “We will actively cooperate with related industries and ministries to ensure that smart factories, a key task of the 5G+ strategy, can spread and grow more safely through this seminar.” It was revealed.

Meanwhile, the government is promoting the construction of 30,000 smart factories and the training of 100,000 specialized personnel by 2022 through the 'Small and Medium Enterprise Smart Manufacturing Innovation Strategy' jointly announced by relevant ministries in December of last year.