A gathering was held to highlight the achievements of women engineers who have contributed to technological innovation and industrial competitiveness. The Ministry of Trade and the Korean Women Engineers Association will host the '2026 Women Engineers Conference' on November 11, recognizing outstanding women engineers and the institutions that support their growth.
The Ministry will award Ministerial citations to five individuals who have contributed to technological innovation and engineering talent development, as well as five exemplary institutions that have actively hired women engineers.The recipients of the Women Engineer Award include Kim Sang-hee, team leader at SK Siltron; Hwang Kyung-min, CEO of Vfix Medical; Noh Yoo-jung, professor at Pusan National University; Na Jung-jo, professor at Deokseong University; and Noh Yoon-sook, professor at Inha University. The five institutions recognized for their support of growth are Korea Southern Power, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Viva Republica, Hanmi Global Architecture Firm, and Common Computer.
During the Industrial Technology Forum, Lim Woo-hyung, co-director of LG AI Research, spoke on 'The Evolving Industrial Ecosystem with Artificial Intelligence (AI),' while Noh Mi-jung, executive at Samsung Electronics Foundry Division, discussed 'The Semiconductor Industry in the AI Era.'
The association also held a book launch for 'Women Engineers Changing the World 21,' which features stories of female engineers who have excelled in the industry despite biases and limitations. A subsequent talk concert allowed participants to share their experiences of challenges and growth as women engineers, discussing their roles in the industry and ways to improve the treatment of engineers in corporate settings.
Meanwhile, the Ministry plans to conduct its first 'Survey on Women Engineers' in 2027 to support the growth and entry of women engineers into the industry. A revision of the 'Industrial Technology Innovation Promotion Act,' which includes the basis for the survey, is currently under discussion in the National Assembly, and funding has been included in the 2027 government budget.
The Ministry aims to systematically understand the status, growth paths, and career interruption factors of female R&D personnel in the industry through this survey, intending to develop effective policies that meet the needs of the field, such as preventing career interruptions and improving treatment.
A Ministry official stated, 'The competitiveness of advanced industries depends on how well we secure and nurture excellent technical talent, and women engineers with diversity and expertise are a crucial competitive advantage for our industry. We will strengthen the legal and institutional framework to ensure that women engineers can fully demonstrate their capabilities without career interruptions, receive fair recognition for their contributions, and grow as key leaders in the industry.'
* This article has been translated by AI.
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