Master craftsman Kim In-ho checks the quality of a printed material at his studio in Seoul. Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government
The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Wednesday it spotlighted the workshop of Kim In-ho, a printing industry master craftsman designated as a Seoul Master Technician, to underscore the value of skilled manual trades that remain difficult to automate in an era of expanding artificial intelligence (AI).
Kim has worked in the printing industry for more than 50 years, beginning his career at a bookbinding company in 1970. He has built expertise in folding carton packaging for pharmaceutical and cosmetics products, and contributed to advances in high-quality packaging technology, including the early adoption of Korean-language hologram printing.
He was named a Seoul Master Technician in the printing category last year.
"Skill is not built quickly," Kim said.
"It accumulates through years of experience on the floor. Mastery is the product of persisting through that process."
Kim's son, who was pursuing a doctoral degree in engineering in the United States, returned to Korea in 2011 and entered the printing trade. After roughly a decade on the floor, he now oversees the full production process. A worker in his 20s is also building hands-on experience at the workshop.
Seoul operates the Seoul Master Technician program to recognize long-serving skilled workers in manufacturing, awarding certificates, plaques and development grants.
The city reformed the program last year, reducing selections from 30 recipients across five trades to one per trade, while raising the individual grant from 2 million won to 10 million won ($6,700). The city also runs technical training institutes in three campuses — central, eastern, and northern Seoul — offering courses in fields including building repair, automotive maintenance, specialty welding, landscaping, interior work and elevator control.
"Skilled trades remain a critical foundation for industry, even in the AI era," said a Seoul Metropolitan Government official.
Source: Korea Times News
