Kim Dae-ja has officially taken office as the 13th chairman of the Korea Industrial Complex Corporation (KICOX) after an inauguration ceremony in Daegu. In his first address, Kim said industrial complexes need to lead manufacturing AI transformation and the carbon-neutral transition, noting that carbon footprints are becoming a condition of trade. He also pledged to expand data, communications, and renewable energy infrastructure inside industrial complexes. KICOX says it will strengthen cooperation among businesses, universities, research institutes, and local governments, and push regional industry development tied to the government's balanced growth strategy. The agency also plans to renovate aging factories, improve working conditions, and strengthen safety management. Kim, a former head of the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards, said the corporation should be judged by what actual help it gives businesses, not by how much budget was spent.
