Bae Kyung-hun, a minister who was appointed as the head of the Ministry of Science and ICT, has a background as a businessperson, and Vice Minister Ryu Je-myeong, who is noted for being an on-site communicator, are expected to create a synergy effect as they work together. There are reports inside and outside the industry that the Ministry of Science and ICT, which has a strong vertical bureaucratic characteristic, is beginning to transform into a horizontal organizational culture like corporations, putting "communication" at the forefront.
According to the industry, the Ministry of Science and ICT will hold a meeting on the 21st to activate investment and support for AI startups. This is the sixth meeting promoted by Vice Minister Ryu Je-myeong, who took office on June 30, to hear voices from the industry and the field. Since taking office, Vice Minister Ryu has held a total of five meetings, including "field meetings to lead public AX," "data regulation innovation meeting for the three major AI countries," "physical AI industry-academia-research meeting," "AI industry meeting," and "information protection company meeting" over the past 50 days.
Vice Minister Ryu has made a name for himself as a communicating bureaucrat in the past. In December of last year, Ryu, then the head of the Network Policy Bureau, was selected as the "Communicator of the Year" by reporters covering the Ministry of Science and ICT, highlighting his reputation as a communication-oriented leader within the department. Since taking on the role of Vice Minister overseeing AI and IT policy, he has continued to communicate by visiting on-site and meeting with experts.
An official from the IT industry remarked, "Vice Minister Ryu aims to communicate by creating a group chat after meetings with industry workers and experts," adding, "He says to contact him anytime if there are opinions. He promises to take a look at them." Another IT industry official stated, "Since taking office, Vice Minister Ryu has been creating opportunities to communicate with the industry about once every ten days," noting that "the word has begun to spread in the industry that a communication-oriented vice minister has arrived."
Minister Bae, who is from the LG AI Research Institute, has emphasized "communication" and "horizontal structure" since the beginning of his tenure. During his inauguration ceremony on the 17th of last month, he drew attention by displaying his inaugural speech on a PowerPoint presentation. Immediately after the ceremony, he held a town hall meeting with employees to discuss major issues, encouraging open communication through Q&A sessions. Minister Bae explained, "I believe communication is the most important, so I prepared this town hall meeting format to show my willingness to conduct it as horizontally and closely as possible in the future."
At the inauguration ceremony, Minister Bae also stated, "To keep up with the unprecedented rapid technological changes, close communication and collaboration with the field is essential," adding, "Communication is not an end in itself but the key to enhancing the effectiveness of policies."