The Ministry of Science and ICT held a "5G Era Intelligent Device Manufacturing Support Strategy Roundtable Discussion" chaired by the Minister at the Pangyo Startup Campus, with attendance of approximately 20 people including executives from small and medium-sized enterprises and the three major telecommunications companies.

Minister Yoo Young-min visited the 'ICT Device Lab,' an institution supporting education and startup establishment for ICT sector startups and prospective entrepreneurs within the Pangyo Startup Campus in Gyeonggi Province, received a report on startup support status, and observed demonstrations of products solving public sector and citizen livelihood issues.

The key strategic directions of the '5G Era Intelligent Device Manufacturing Support Strategy' for realizing I-Korea 4.0 include △expanding participation opportunities for creative talent to solve problems, △establishing a foundation to enhance domestic intelligent device technology capabilities, △strengthening private sector device manufacturing self-sufficiency, and △promoting market entry strategies for small and medium enterprises and startups in domestic and overseas device markets.

First, creative idea discovery will be pursued by expanding beyond the existing startup-centric approach to diverse utilization of the general public, academia-industry-research experts, and university student reporters for demand identification, while identifying 5G-based public intelligent device needs from government ministries, local governments, and public institutions.

Plans are in place to establish and operate a social device research institute where talented individuals with diverse professions and expertise—such as graduate students, corporate ventures, and government-funded and private sector research institute researchers—can engage in problem-solving and device development in their respective areas of interest.

Second, to enhance technological capabilities, various core technologies such as sensors and modems for 5G convergence services will be modularized and distributed for use in device development, while advancing the development of intelligent devices required in public sectors such as police, firefighting, emergency response services, and social welfare.

Additionally, plans are underway to establish councils enabling communication and cooperation between telecommunications companies, portal companies providing 5G communication infrastructure and artificial intelligence (AI) platforms, and small and medium device startups, with efforts to create related ecosystems through technical support and market development.

Third, in the manufacturing stage, a prototype manufacturing voucher program will be implemented targeting outstanding domestic manufacturing specialist companies (product planning, design and electronic circuit board design, and exterior manufacturing) to foster a device manufacturing ecosystem.

Moreover, plans are in place to continuously expand communication network testing and certification infrastructure in preparation for future 5G-based intelligent devices.

Finally, to promote market entry for outstanding devices from domestic small and medium enterprises and startups, plans include developing a co-brand (KOREA DEVICE), establishing an integrated support center, and linking with online and offline device-exclusive markets.

Minister Yoo Young-min emphasized, "For successful 5G commercialization, it is essential to vitalize the development of diverse intelligent devices through which citizens can experience 5G convergence services in their daily lives, and in that sense, support to resolve difficulties that related small and medium enterprises and startups may face in the device manufacturing process is absolutely necessary." He further stated, "The diverse opinions that emerge from today's roundtable discussion will be closely monitored to provide practical assistance to businesses."