Chairman Park Yong-man Mourns "Late Chairman Kim Sang-ha's Contribution to Our Economic Growth"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Yoon-joo] Park Yong-man, Chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), mourned, saying, "The late Kim Sang-ha, former chairman of KCCI, played a pivotal role as a bridge conveying the demands for improved business conditions of merchants nationwide to the government, contributing to the growth of our economy."

Chairman Park stated, "I express my deepest condolences and sorrow for the peaceful rest of Chairman Kim Sang-ha, who devoted himself to Korea's commerce and industry and enterprises."

He recalled, "Former Chairman Kim greatly contributed to expanding the scope of our companies to overseas markets, starting with the Olympics held in the year he took office," adding, "He organized economic delegations to visit countries such as Hungary and Bulgaria, where economic exchanges had not been active before, thereby promoting economic cooperation at the private sector level."

In particular, he honored former Chairman Kim for serving as the inaugural chairman of the Korea-China Private Economic Council in 1992, the year diplomatic relations between Korea and China were established, leading economic exchanges between the two countries for eight years, and for his significant contributions to the economic development of both countries as the 7th chairman of the Korea-Japan Economic Association in 1998.

He also noted, "With the belief that developing the national economy without natural resources depends solely on technological capabilities, he greatly strengthened the vocational training functions of KCCI," and explained, "The educational programs were diversified from 'skill training for high school graduates' to 'specialized education for women and middle-aged groups' and 'advanced training for high-level technical positions.'"

He emphasized, "As a business leader, he inherited and developed the management philosophy of his predecessors to solve the post-war people's basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter, diversified Samyang Corporation into businesses such as food, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and bio, transforming it into a company that enriches and facilitates people's lives."

He added, "With gentle and harmonious leadership, he led KCCI as a private partner in national economic development and contributed to the advancement of the domestic food and chemical industries through insightful and steadfast management. Once again, I express my deepest condolences."