Industry Vice Minister Park Dongil: "Growth at the Center of Every Policy... Find the 'Hidden 1 cm'"

In Inaugural Address, “No Policies for the Sake of Policies... They Must Lead to Corporate Investment, Industrial Innovation, and Job Creation”

Park Dong-il, head of the Industrial Policy Office at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, speaks at the launch ceremony for the “World Class 10 Wings Project” roundtable at LW Convention in Jung-gu, Seoul, on Oct. 15, 2026. Yonhap News.

Newly appointed Vice Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Park Dong-il made “growth-centered industrial policy” the focus of his first remarks after taking office. He said the ministry would focus its policy capabilities on linking key policies, including mega-projects, M.AX (manufacturing AX), and the five-pole, three-special growth engines, to corporate investment, industrial innovation, and job creation.

In his inauguration address on October 19, 2026, Vice Minister Park said, “Ultimately, every policy we pursue must lead to corporate investment, industrial innovation, quality jobs, and growth for both the public and local communities,” adding, “We will put ‘growth’ at the center of every policy.”

He continued, “Policies should not be made for the sake of policies, nor projects undertaken for the sake of projects. We must consider how our work contributes to the growth of the Republic of Korea and its people as a whole, and how we can execute it more quickly.” He also stressed that, beyond breaking down barriers between government ministries, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy should take the initiative in reaching out to businesses and other ministries to strengthen policy implementation.

Vice Minister Park said the environment surrounding industrial policy had changed fundamentally as global uncertainty and supply chain crises became ongoing challenges and technological revolutions, including artificial intelligence (AI), accelerated. “Past success does not guarantee future success,” he said. “Industry is where growth is actually created.” He added that the ministry must become one that “creates the conditions for growth, expands opportunities for growth, and leads the Republic of Korea’s next leap forward.”

He called on officials to look for what he described as “the hidden 1 cm” when developing policies. This means questioning even matters that have long been taken for granted and finding new solutions, rather than simply repeating existing policies.

Vice Minister Park outlined specific priorities, including strengthening the competitiveness of the semiconductor ecosystem, fostering regional growth, identifying new growth drivers, and improving corporate productivity and competitiveness through M.AX. He also stressed the need to identify potential risks to key supply chains and strategic resources in advance. “Asking questions one step ahead leads to policies one step ahead, and policies one step ahead turn crises into opportunities,” he said.

He also delivered a message on improving the organizational culture, saying the ministry would strengthen communication with people in the field while boldly reducing unnecessary work. “There is no threshold to my office,” Vice Minister Park said. “I will not confine myself to reports on my desk; I will communicate with people in the field.” He added, “Let’s decisively cut ‘fake work,’ such as unnecessary in-person briefings, meetings, and events staged for show, and build an organizational culture where people can focus on their work and perform to the best of their abilities.”

Vice Minister Park stressed, “Let’s look in the same direction and pool our strength.” He added, “I will support your efforts to make the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy a place filled with pride and a sense of fulfillment internally, and trusted by businesses and the public externally.”

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