Kim Yi-tak, first vice minister of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT), has called for the active adoption of artificial intelligence and robotics technologies in the construction industry.
Speaking at the "Construction Industry Rebirth 2.0" seminar held at the Construction Hall in Nonhyeon-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, on Wednesday, Kim said, "The construction industry must enhance productivity through convergence with AI and robotics technologies, and leap forward as an industry equipped with safer construction sites and fair working environments." He added, "To achieve this, the government, the construction industry and academia must boldly reform outdated regulations and actively adopt new technologies."
Kim diagnosed that Korea's construction industry stands at a crossroads where change is imperative. A sluggish construction market centered on provincial areas, rising construction costs, contraction in project financing, and declining construction investment continue to weigh on the industry. Compounding these challenges is raw material market volatility driven by unstable international conditions including the Middle East conflict.
"The construction industry must undergo a fundamental structural transformation to remain sustainable as both a pillar of our economy and a driving force for future growth," Kim stressed. He referenced large language model-based AI technologies and robotics technologies such as Atlas.
The Construction & Economy Research Institute of Korea (CERIK) hosted the seminar to overcome structural limitations in the construction industry and pursue execution-focused innovation. CERIK President Lee Chung-jae presented four directions for "Construction Industry Rebirth 2.0," which aims to fundamentally redesign the definition, role, function and operating methods of the construction industry: ▲ a shift in perspective toward the construction industry, ▲ changes in people and culture, ▲ redesign of industrial structure and governance, and ▲ comprehensive innovation centered on AI and digital transformation.
"In the age of artificial intelligence, I hope the construction industry will once again become a core engine driving Korea's growth and innovation, and be reborn as a national industry," Lee said. "The institute will fulfill its role to ensure that the vision of Construction Industry Rebirth 2.0 does not remain a mere declaration but leads to actual policy, institutional reform and on-site implementation."