Three skilled technicians named 'Skilled Korean of the Month' for Q2 2026

The Ministry of Employment and Labor and the Human Resources Development Service of Korea announced Wednesday that three heads of small and medium-sized enterprises who demonstrated outstanding technical skills and contributed to the advancement of skilled trades have been named "Skilled Korean of the Month" for the second quarter of 2026.

The honorees are Park Bong-seo, CEO of Samsung Powertech, for April; Jin Gi-cheol, CEO of Seo-Wonju Service Kia AutoQ, for May; and Kim Hyun-ju, CEO of Sandeul Information and Communications, for June. Each was recognized for contributions to technological innovation and talent development — in electrical facility safety, automotive repair, and information and communications technology and AI, respectively.

Park has spent more than 40 years in electrical facility safety and developed a "safety alarm device for distribution panels" to prevent electrocution accidents at industrial sites. He is currently working on seismic-isolation switchboard technology to improve safety at critical national facilities such as hospitals, data centers and subway systems, and also participates in industry-academia cooperation and youth mentoring programs.

Jin is a veteran technician with more than 50 years on the automotive repair floor. He developed future-oriented vehicle service technologies, including a vehicle painting system and an automatic seatbelt control system. He was recognized for advancing automotive repair as a "service for people" through community volunteer work and skills-transfer activities.

Kim has worked in the information and communications sector for more than 35 years, developing AI- and Internet of Things-based platforms. She was recognized for building a smart-home care platform and a wellness human-care platform for elderly people living alone and other vulnerable groups, as well as a smart fuel measurement and management solution that supports the digital transformation of small and medium-sized enterprises. She has also worked to cultivate female ICT talent and promote entrepreneurship.

The "Skilled Korean of the Month" program, in operation since 2006, selects outstanding skilled technicians from among heads of small and medium-sized enterprises who graduated from vocational high schools or junior colleges and have accumulated at least 10 years of experience in industry. The latest designations bring the total number of honorees to 232.

"You are the living history that built the foundation of Korea's industrial sites," Employment and Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon said at the ceremony Wednesday. "Please share your experience and wisdom so that young people can follow your path and walk the road of skilled technicians."