The '2023 Smart Factory & Automation World (hereinafter Automation World),' where you can experience the digital transformation trends of the industry all at once, recorded its largest scale ever with the participation of 500 companies.

The '2023 Smart Factory & Automation Industry Exhibition,' the largest exhibition related to industrial digital transformation in Korea, opened its doors at COEX in Seoul on the 8th and offered a glimpse into the future of the manufacturing industry.

In particular, the 33rd Automation World was held on the largest scale ever, with over 500 companies participating and more than 150 conferences taking place, confirming the interest in AI and digital transformation.

At Automation World 2023, under the theme 'We connect your factory,' you can experience digital innovation that considers both the process and the environment, from manufacturing to carbon neutrality.

The demand for digital transformation, which increased rapidly during the COVID-19 pandemic, has gone beyond the smartification of internal factories to now involve operations based on data and network interconnection regardless of scale. It is evolving into an optimization system.

At this exhibition, a large number of domestic and international companies leading these industrial digital transformation trends are participating to showcase a variety of products and solutions equipped with the latest technologies, ranging from factory automation components and big data to IoT, robots, and AI.

Automation World uses all of Halls A, B, C, and D at COEX in Seoul.

In Hall A on the first floor, products and solutions for industrial automation are on display, where you can find sensors, PLCs, DCSs, busbar controls, industrial PCs, automation components, and more.

Hall B on the first floor is an exhibition showcasing the latest specialized machine vision items and solutions, where industry professionals and buyers can meet in one place.

First Vice Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Jang Young-jin, Vice Minister of SMEs and Startups Cho Joo-hyun, and President of the Korea Robot Industry Association Son Woong-hee attended the opening ceremony held at the entrance of the exhibition on the 3rd floor of COEX on the 8th.

First Vice Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Jang Young-jin is delivering a congratulatory speech.

In his congratulatory remarks, Jang Young-jin, First Vice Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, stated, “I believe this exhibition is a necessary and effective event for resolving issues such as the manpower shortage facing industry and society,” adding, “As there is an analysis indicating a shortage of over 180,000 workers in the industrial sector, the government will continue to provide support with a sense of urgency.”

First Vice Minister Jang continued, “The Ministry of Industry will make every effort to prioritize the promotion of exports and investment,” and emphasized, “From a mid-to-long-term perspective, it is necessary to accelerate the use of AI across industries for the fundamental innovation of our industries.”

Finally, he gave a brief response regarding the currently emerging issue of Korea-Japan relations, stating, “We are actively pursuing the improvement of Korea-Japan relations,” and adding, “We have started discussions with the Japanese side regarding export restrictions and are preparing various measures to expand trade.”

In his congratulatory remarks, Vice Minister Cho Joo-hyun of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups emphasized, “Digital transformation in industry is becoming increasingly important with each passing year,” adding that “digital transformation, which serves as a solution to productivity issues, is a new opportunity for companies and a competitive edge in itself.”

Vice Minister Jo then said"For SMEs, export issues are just as much of a concern as manpower issues," he said, asking large corporations to cooperate with SMEs.

Yoon Kwan-seok, Chairman of the SMEs and Startups Committee, delivered a congratulatory message via video, stating, “Movements to strengthen the competitiveness of the manufacturing industry are spreading,” and adding, “This exhibition will help domestic companies strengthen the competitiveness of the manufacturing industry.”

Meanwhile, e4ds news will host ' IIoT Innovation DAY ' on the 10th, the last day of Automation World 2023, at Grand Ballroom 103 on the 1st floor of the COEX Conference Room.

The event will introduce the latest trends and prospects of smart manufacturing, case studies of 5G-based industrial IoT development in manufacturing sites, and discuss plans for building smart factories based on 5G specialized networks.

Park Han-koo, Honorary Chairman of the Korea Industry 4.0 Association, and Park Dong-joo, Chairman of the Ecosystem Strategy Committee of the 5G Forum, are scheduled to speak on smart manufacturing industry trends and the 5G specialized network ecosystem.