By Lee Hana

"Using autonomous vehicles and the Internet of Things (IoT) as our engines of economic growth, we plan to develop new industries and services for the future," said Acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn during the 2017 Science Day ceremony at Seoul's Dongdaemun Design Plaza on April 21.

"Projects that focus on state-of-the-art technology, including AI, are currently in the works. By developing innovative R&D systems, we will create a research environment that gives rise to scientists who have the capability to pursue challenging and creative projects," said the acting president.

"The waves of the fourth industrial revolution are rising higher and higher, day by day. Last year, the Korean government adopted a comprehensive plan outlining some medium- to long-term measures to respond effectively in this age of advanced AI," he said.

"The new industry investment committee, launched last year, is helping to lead a number of reforms related to regulations governing new industries. We have also begun addressing issues linked to the fourth industrial revolution, such as unemployment and industrial polarization, in preparation for the dawn of a new era," he said.

hlee10@korea.kr