MOU Signed and Joint Seminar Held Between Incheon National University Institute of Logistics Management and Seoul National University Institute for Industrial Systems Innovation

-  Incheon National University Institute of Logistics Management and Seoul National University Institute for Industrial Systems Innovation Sign MOU and Host Joint Seminar

- Aim to Achieve Productivity Innovation in the Logistics Industry Through “System Redesign” Beyond Simple Digital Transformation

- Present a Model Case of Technological Collaboration and Industrial Application Between National Universities

Incheon National University Institute of Logistics Management (Director: Sang-Hwa Song) and Seoul National University Institute for Industrial Systems Innovation (Director: Myung-Hwan Yun) announced that they signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the 10th to jointly promote “AI-Native” system innovation in the logistics industry and subsequently held a joint seminar.

The agreement was established to effectively integrate rapidly evolving artificial intelligence (AI) technologies into industrial settings. The “AI-Native industrial system innovation” pursued by the two institutions moves beyond simply overlaying digital technologies onto existing systems. Instead, it refers to a fundamental redesign of entire systems from the planning stage, with AI positioned as a core architectural element.

Through this partnership, the institutions will combine Seoul National University’s world-class AI core technologies with Incheon National University’s accumulated expertise and networks in logistics system innovation. Beginning in the Incheon region, they plan to lead an AI-driven transformation (AX) across Korea’s logistics industry and apply AI-Native system redesign technologies directly to real-world industrial environments.

This collaboration is expected to serve as a significant example of how national universities can organically cooperate to develop advanced technologies and directly apply them to industry, thereby creating tangible value.

Sang-Hwa Song, Director of the Institute of Logistics Management at Incheon National University, stated, “Incheon National University’s long-standing innovation expertise and strong networks in international trade and logistics are now combined with Seoul National University’s core AI technologies. This presents a meaningful opportunity to dramatically enhance productivity across the logistics industry.”

Myung-Hwan Yun, Director of the Institute for Industrial Systems Innovation at Seoul National University, commented, “By integrating Seoul National University’s AI capabilities with Incheon National University’s logistics innovation network, we can refine laboratory-developed technologies to suit industrial environments. We expect this to become not only a technological success but also an exemplary case of collaboration between Seoul National University and national universities.”

The joint seminar held immediately after the MOU signing featured in-depth discussions on the future direction of AI innovation.

Professor Kyung-Sik Lee of the Department of Industrial Engineering at Seoul National University, who delivered the keynote presentation, illustrated the importance of the AI-Native approach by referencing the historical transition from steam engines to electrification in manufacturing. He noted that early adoption of electric motors yielded limited productivity gains when existing steam-based operational practices were left unchanged. “Similarly, if AI is approached merely as a substitute technology, the impact of innovation will be constrained,” he explained. “Developing AI-Native technologies that redesign systems from the outset to align with AI characteristics will be the core direction of future industrial transformation.”

The event was attended by faculty members and graduate students from the Graduate School of Northeast Asian Logistics and the Smart Logistics Engineering program at Incheon National University, as well as faculty and students from the Department of Industrial Engineering at Seoul National University, fostering active presentations and discussions.