Kim Ki-moon "Time to Prepare for a New 100 Years Based on the Past 60 Years"

'2022 Small and Medium Business Leaders Forum' Opens

Kim Ki-moon, Chairman of the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business, is delivering the opening address at the '2022 SME Leaders Forum' held on the 27th at Lotte Hotel Jeju in Seogwipo, Jeju.

[Asia Economy Reporter Donghyun Choi] "Despite the global supply chain restructuring, South Korea has become the country that meets international delivery deadlines the best, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have driven economic growth by creating exports and jobs even during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now is the time to prepare for a new 100 years based on the past 60 years."

Kim Gi-moon, Chairman of the Korea Federation of SMEs, said this on the 27th at the '2022 SME Leaders Forum' held at Lotte Hotel Jeju in Seogwipo, Jeju. He added, "The new 100 years will change faster and more significantly than the past 60 years." He emphasized, "I hope this forum will help us understand the changing trends of the world and find new growth engines."

The '2022 SME Leaders Forum,' which gathers over 400 SME representatives from various industries and regions nationwide, has opened. The Leaders Forum is the largest domestic event where SME leaders and representatives gather. This is the 15th event since 2007. The theme of this year's event, held from today until the 30th, is '60 Years of Progress, 100 Years of Hope.' Marking the 60th anniversary of the Korea Federation of SMEs, the forum aims to find solutions for the survival and growth of SMEs and to explore the roles and vision for the new 100 years.

At the opening ceremony held in the afternoon, attendees included Kim Gi-moon, Chairman of the Korea Federation of SMEs, Choo Kyung-ho, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance, and Oh Young-hoon, Governor of Jeju Province. Chairman Kim listed the policy achievements that the SME sector has accomplished so far and promised to continue focusing on resolving the difficulties faced by SMEs. In particular, he positively evaluated progress in areas such as the pilot operation of the delivery price linkage system, the launch of the Presidential Special Committee for Win-Win Cooperation between Large and Small Businesses, improvements in corporate succession systems, establishment of cooperative self-reliance foundations, and the full-scale reform of SME regulations.

Lee Kwan-seop, Chief of National Planning at the Presidential Office, conveyed President Yoon Suk-yeol’s congratulatory message celebrating the forum. In his message, President Yoon recalled, "I remember the SME conference held last May on the lawn of the Yongsan Presidential Office, where large and small businesses gathered to pledge win-win cooperation and leap forward for South Korea’s future." He added, "Today’s event is a place to reaffirm those commitments and promises, present new management strategies and future visions for SMEs, and strengthen win-win cooperation and harmony." He continued, "Before the wounds from COVID-19 have healed, the triple high (high inflation, high interest rates, high exchange rates) complex economic crisis, record-breaking heavy rains, and natural disasters such as large-scale crop failures have deepened the worries of SME owners and small business operators." He concluded, "The government will do its best to turn the current economic crisis and difficulties into opportunities."

Additionally, Deputy Prime Minister Choo Kyung-ho attracted attention as a special lecturer at the opening ceremony with a lecture titled ‘Recent Economic Situation and Policy Directions.’

Meanwhile, prior to the forum’s opening ceremony, the Korea Federation of SMEs visited Jeju Orphanage (Jeju City, Jeju) and Jae-nam Children’s Center (Seogwipo City, Jeju) as part of its social contribution program, delivering gifts and donations worth approximately 20 million KRW sponsored by the SME sector.