Im Moon-young introduces first bill to link manufacturing floor with AI talent

Im Moon-young, a Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker representing Gwangju Gwangsan-eul who entered the National Assembly through the June 3 by-election, has introduced as her first bill a partial amendment to the Industrial Digital Transformation Promotion Act. The bill aims to create a framework for skilled manufacturing workers and AI engineers to collaborate in driving AI transformation in the manufacturing sector.

According to Im, mid-sized and small manufacturers lack the capacity to convert the knowledge and experience accumulated by skilled workers into digital assets, while young AI professionals have little opportunity to participate in manufacturing environments and contribute to AI-driven transformation.

To bridge that gap, Im proposes adopting a model based on the Forward Deployed Engineer, or FDE, system operated by Palantir Technologies, adapted to South Korean conditions.

The FDE model involves deploying AI engineers directly at client sites, where they observe and analyze on-site problems firsthand, propose solutions, and drive innovation in manufacturing processes as well as AI and digital transformation.

"We need to place young AI professionals on the manufacturing floor and create opportunities for them to lead AI transformation there with their own eyes and hands," Im said. "There is not much time left — a golden window — to ensure that skilled manufacturing knowledge does not die out with this generation."

Building on the bill, Im will host a policy development forum Tuesday at Conference Room 7 of the National Assembly.

Jeon Yun-jong, president of the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology, will serve as moderator, and Kim Seon-u, an industry-academia cooperation professor at Sejong University, will facilitate. The event will feature a presentation by Lee Min-seok, a professor at Kookmin University's College of Software and Convergence, followed by a panel discussion with Lee Hyo-seung, chief executive of Neowine Co., Lee Hyeon-dong, vice president of Superb AI, and officials from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, and the Ministry of Employment and Labor.