The government will build "smart factories" at 20-thousand sites nationwide and create 75-thousand new jobs by 2022.

The plan is to encourage innovative growth by medium and small-sized firms.

Smart plants incorporate information and communications technology in the production process to boost energy efficiency and the automation rate. 

The Presidential Committee on the Fourth Industrial Revolution held its fifth meeting on Thursday and discussed strategies to spread and further advance smart factories.

The government will also support the fostering of experts to ensure the stable operation of smart plants and to continuously increase their smart features. 

To this aim, the government will provide training to 50-thousand workers on the utilization of existing workforce in smart factories.

Master's and doctorate degree programs will also be expanded that are geared toward the development of basic technologies for smart plants and sophistication of plant designs and operation.