KR 66th Anniversary Seminar: Chairman Youngsuk Lee Vows to Strengthen Shipbuilding and Maritime Competitiveness Through AI Transformation

Technical Seminar Held at the Four Seasons Hotel Seoul
Attended by HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, Microsoft Korea, and Others

Youngsuk Lee, Chairman of Korean Register (KR), announced at the 66th Anniversary Technical Seminar on June 11 that KR will contribute to strengthening the competitiveness of the shipbuilding and maritime industry through AI transformation.

Lee Youngseok, Chairman of Korean Register (KR), is delivering a welcome speech at the KR 66th Anniversary Technical Seminar held on the 11th at the Four Seasons Hotel in Seoul. Photo by Choi Youngchan

In his welcoming address at the seminar held at the Four Seasons Hotel in Seoul, Chairman Lee stated, "KR is currently introducing AI across all work areas to drive AI transformation. Through AI-based inspection automation, ship design support, digital approval services, and data-driven inspections and failure countermeasures, we aim to enhance design approval efficiency for shipyards and provide shipowners with improved safety and reliability in operational maintenance."

He continued, "Amid strengthened global regulations, such as the International Maritime Organization’s 2050 carbon neutrality target and the European Union Emissions Trading System (ETS), the global maritime industry now stands at a major turning point involving both decarbonization efforts and the hyper-convergence of AI digital technologies. KR will continue to strengthen support for decarbonization compliance and environmentally friendly digital technologies, ensuring that our technical competitiveness translates into customer value."

Jungseok Park, Chairman of the Korea Shipowners’ Association, remarked in his congratulatory speech, "The Korea Shipowners’ Association, based on its strong cooperation with KR, is moving forward toward the shared goal of becoming an unwavering shipping powerhouse, overcoming the waves of change. By successfully integrating AI and digital technologies throughout our current ecosystem and jointly establishing international standards based on K-technology, we will always be a partner to ensure that Korea’s shipping industry demonstrates firm leadership in the future global market."

Keynote speeches on the AI and digital transformation of industry leaders followed.

Hyungkwan Kim, President of HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, emphasized, "There are two main pillars for making the shipbuilding industry a sustainable business in the future. The first is software-centric ships. We have developed our own technology to define ships through software and are conducting business with China."

He added, "The second is what we call the 'Future of Shipyard.' In the digital realm, nothing is impossible. We will automate processes in order of economic feasibility and, through platform-based production innovation, we will be able to respond to workforce shortages caused by demographic and social structural changes."

Hyunkyung Yoo, Vice President of Microsoft Korea, argued that for companies to successfully implement AI within their organizations, it is essential to focus on organizational culture, business strategy, accumulating and internalizing AI experience, and AI governance technology strategies.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.