Gyeonggi Province Holds '2017 Quality Circle Competition'

The '2017 Gyeonggi Province Quality Circle Competition,' a festival for Gyeonggi Province leaders spearheading the quality management era, kicked off with an opening ceremony on June 1 morning and entered into two days of spirited competition.

Hosted by Gyeonggi Province and organized by the Korea Standards Association Gyeonggi Regional Center to share and promote best practices in quality management improvement, the competition is being held at two venues in Suwon: the Gyeonggi Province Economic Science and Technology Promotion Agency and the Korean Nano Technology Institute on June 1 and 2.

The competition features approximately 500 members from 54 quality circles in the province competing in eight categories: ▲field improvement division, ▲equipment (TPM) division, ▲maintenance management (EAM) division, ▲Six Sigma division, ▲service/administrative indirect division, ▲environment/safety quality division, ▲mutual cooperation division, and ▲freestyle division. Each division will also hold competitions divided by category: large enterprises (public enterprises), mid-sized enterprises, small and medium enterprises, and overseas subsidiaries.

The province plans to award 4 grand prize teams, 24 excellence teams, and 26 merit teams through this competition. Quality circle teams that win the grand prize and excellence awards will be given the opportunity to represent Gyeonggi Province at the 'National Quality Circle Competition' to be held in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province in August.

Kim Dong-geun, Vice Governor for Administration at Gyeonggi Province, stated, "In an era of unlimited competition, quality management is no longer optional but an essential task for corporate survival," adding, "I hope this competition will serve as an opportunity to share quality improvement expertise and develop ethical and eco-friendly quality competitiveness befitting the new era."

Meanwhile, Gyeonggi Province achieved consecutive first-place finishes at the national competition for 11 consecutive years from 2004 to 2014, followed by a runner-up finish in 2015 and a championship in 2016, earning its reputation as a leading local government in quality management nationwide.