On June 22, the National Fire Agency held the ‘Fire Industry Innovation Growth Strategy Conference’ in Suwon, unveiling plans to elevate the fire industry from a domestic safety sector to a core national strategic industry. The event, themed ‘Beyond Safety to Strategy: A New Leap for K-Fire,’ gathered over 150 participants, including Acting Commissioner Kim Seung-ryong, heads of related organizations, and industry leaders. The conference featured an awards ceremony, policy presentations, and a policy discussion session. Strengthening K-Fire’s competitiveness and reflecting field challenges in policy were highlighted as key objectives.
At the 17th Korea Fire Industry Awards, 24 companies and individuals were honored across four categories. Notably, Olightlife Co., Ltd. received the Presidential Award for developing an LED spectrum air-sampling smoke detector, while Saerobom Engineering Co., Ltd. earned the Prime Minister’s Award for a rapid-use indoor fire hydrant valve. The National Fire Agency announced three main strategies: bold regulatory reform, building a self-sustaining ecosystem, and expanding overseas through inter-agency cooperation. KOTRA shared global market trends and practical export support programs, receiving positive feedback from attendees.
During the policy discussion, Acting Commissioner Kim Seung-ryong led open dialogues with company representatives, focusing on transforming the fire industry into a future-oriented strategic sector. Participants emphasized the need for certification system improvements, expanded field testing, and support for overseas market entry to ensure new technologies and products are effectively adopted. The agency and related organizations pledged to continuously review and enhance certification and support systems, while also increasing assistance for global certification and exhibition participation. One company representative shared a positive experience in overcoming export barriers to Vietnam with swift support from the National Fire Agency and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Acting Commissioner Kim noted that while Korea’s fire industry market is valued at around 20 trillion KRW, exports account for only 1%, highlighting vast untapped potential. He committed to removing unnecessary regulations and focusing resources on R&D and export support to help K-Fire become a world-class industry. This strategy conference marks a pivotal step toward securing future growth and global competitiveness for the fire industry. The sector is expected to accelerate balanced development and foster an innovative ecosystem in the coming years.
This conference signifies a paradigm shift, positioning the fire industry as a national strategic asset rather than a mere safety sector. By prioritizing regulatory reform and export support, Korea is laying the groundwork for its fire technology to compete globally. If successful, K-Fire could become as internationally recognized as K-Culture, driving qualitative growth in the domestic safety industry and creating new jobs through innovation and global market expansion.