Park Young-sun: "Patriots of 'Good Mask Companies' Leading the Fight Against COVID-19" (Comprehensive)

Minister Park Young-sun of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups (right in the photo) visited Evergreen located in Anyang, Gyeonggi Province on the 18th and presented a plaque of appreciation to Lee Seung-hwan, CEO of Evergreen (left). Photo by Korea Federation of SMEs

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Hyewon] Park Young-sun, Minister of SMEs and Startups, emphasized on the 18th that “In the inconvenient situation where the public is experiencing a shortage of masks due to the aftermath of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), ‘good companies’ that voluntarily strive to stabilize supply and demand are true patriots.”

On the afternoon of the same day, Minister Park visited Evergreen, a small and medium-sized enterprise located in Anyang, Gyeonggi Province, to check the mask supply situation and listen to the difficulties faced by the company. Kim Ki-moon, Chairman of the Korea Federation of SMEs, and Choi Chang-hee, CEO of Gongyoung Home Shopping, were also present.

Evergreen, established in 1996, is a company that succeeded in domestic production of masks for the first time in Korea based purely on domestic technology and capital. It is an excellent SME that has obtained global certifications from the world’s five major regions (the United States, Europe, Australia & New Zealand, Japan, China). Recently, amid the ‘mask crisis’ caused by COVID-19, it provided 10,000 masks to Hyundai Motor’s partner parts companies in Shandong Province, China, through the Korea Federation of SMEs. It also produced an additional 100,000 masks and supplied them to Gongyoung Home Shopping, which sells 1 million masks at 1,000 KRW each with almost no profit margin. Recently, the factory has been operating 24 hours a day, producing 200,000 masks daily.

Lee Seung-hwan, CEO of Evergreen, said, “Korea is the only country where masks are managed at the national level through KF (Korea Filter) certification by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. Even without promotion, only KF masks are sought after in Europe and the United States. Recently, there have been proposals from Japan to purchase masks as well.”

Minister Park met with CEO Lee and expressed gratitude by presenting a plaque, saying, “Thank you for practicing social responsibility management with the health and safety of the public as a priority,” and promised active support from the Ministry of SMEs and Startups.

Minister Park also said, “If there is a mask cooperative, it would help with raw material procurement, product supply, and price stabilization. I will separately propose this to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and assist in forming a cooperative jointly with the Ministry of SMEs and Startups.”

Chairman Kim said, “Despite the shortage of mask supply, we appreciate the provision of masks to help our companies operating in China. Recently, relief supplies such as masks supplied through public-private cooperation have led to the resumption of operations of our companies in China, showing tangible effects. We will continue to work with the government to overcome the current crisis.”

Meanwhile, Minister Park plans to visit 'Wooshin Cosmetics,' a hand sanitizer manufacturing company located in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, on the 19th to present a plaque of appreciation.