Gyeongnam Province Holds the 25th Gyeongnam Small and Medium Business Awards Ceremony

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Sang-hyun] On the 26th, Gyeongnam Province held the '25th Gyeongnam Small and Medium Enterprise Awards' ceremony together with the Gyeongnam Regional Small and Medium Venture Business Administration and awarded 13 companies that contributed to technological innovation and regional economic development.

Since its inception in 1996, the Gyeongnam Small and Medium Enterprise Awards have annually recognized small and medium enterprises and long-term employees who have achieved excellent business performance through technology development and management innovation and contributed to regional economic development.

Every year, outstanding small and medium enterprises and long-term employees who have created excellent business results through technology development and management innovation and contributed to regional economic development are discovered and awarded.

This year, to boost the morale of local small and medium business owners, the Minister of SMEs and Startups Commendation was expanded from 5 to 6 awards, honoring 13 companies in six categories including technological innovation, startup ventures, management innovation, export, women-owned businesses, and special awards, along with 10 outstanding long-term employees.

On this day, the Gyeongsangnam-do Commendation in the management innovation category was awarded to Pureun Nongsan and Green Food Valley; in the export category to Geuma Hydropower and DHP ENG; and in the women-owned business category to Haneul Bio and ESD Korea.

In the technological innovation category, Samhyun, JENG, and Samwon Donggwan received awards; in the startup venture category, Kick the Hurdle, Bon System G, and Arasoft were honored with the Minister of SMEs and Startups Commendation. The special award, the Gyeongnam Bank President's Commendation, was given to Handok ENG.

Ten recipients in the outstanding long-term employee category, who have grown together with their companies, received the Gyeongnam Bank President's Commendation along with a prize money of 2 million KRW each.

Companies selected for the Gyeongnam Small and Medium Enterprise Awards are granted special benefits such as preferential interest rate support on Gyeongnam Province's SME development funds, exemption from tax audits for three years if there are no local tax arrears, preferential treatment in projects under the jurisdiction of the Gyeongnam Regional Small and Medium Venture Business Administration, and preferential loan support from Gyeongnam Bank.

Ha Byung-pil, Acting Governor of Gyeongnam Province, said, "Small and medium enterprises are the backbone of our economy; the Korean economy will revive only if SMEs thrive," and added, "Gyeongnam Province will listen carefully to the voices from the field to ensure that SME support policies provide practical help at the business sites."