Attendance of Group Leaders Including Lee Jae-yong, Choi Tae-won, Chung Eui-sun, and Koo Kwang-mo
About 500 Government and Business Figures Attend
President Yoon Suk-yeol (seventh from the left) and Choi Tae-won, Chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (eighth from the left), are performing the national ceremony with the attendees. Photo by Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry
[Asia Economy Reporter Donghoon Jeong] "'The Art of War' contains the phrase 'Ihwanwiri (以患爲利·turning adversity into advantage).' Our economy has grown step by step each time it faced a crisis. I hope this year will be one where South Korea once again becomes a 'one team' and overcomes challenges together."
Choi Tae-won, Chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), said this on the 2nd at the '2023 Economic Community New Year's Meeting' held at COEX in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. This year's New Year's meeting was jointly hosted by the KCCI and the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business to encourage large and small businesses to unite and overcome the crisis together.
On this day, Chairman Choi Tae-won said in his greeting, "Last year, despite an unprecedentedly difficult economic environment, we achieved the world's 6th largest export volume, secured large-scale defense contracts, launched the Nuri rocket, and witnessed the brilliant success of K-content," but added, "the economic conditions we face this year are not easy. With geopolitical risks, supply chain instability, changes in the economic security order, and global low growth all overlapping, it is expected to be quite challenging."
He continued, "The global economic order is being reorganized around strategic industries such as semiconductors, automobiles, shipbuilding, and batteries," diagnosing the situation, and said, "I wonder how we could have guaranteed our economy and security without these industries." He emphasized, "If we also build competitiveness in other fields such as bio, defense, and eco-friendly energy, additional pillars will be added to firmly protect our economy and security."
Choi Tae-won, Chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, is delivering a greeting. Photo by Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry
The economic community New Year's meeting was attended by about 500 people including KCCI Chairman Choi Tae-won and Deputy Prime Minister Choo Kyung-ho, where they exchanged New Year's greetings and well-wishes for the Year of the Rabbit, reaffirming their determination for the economic resurgence with the message, "Let's vigorously create a hopeful Korea together again."
Economic organization leaders attending the event included Choi Tae-won, Chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Huh Chang-soo, Chairman of the Federation of Korean Industries; Koo Ja-yeol, Chairman of the Korea International Trade Association; Sohn Kyung-shik, Chairman of the Korea Employers Federation; Kim Ki-moon, Chairman of the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business; and Choi Jin-sik, Chairman of the Korea Association of Mid-sized Enterprises, representing six major economic organizations.
Among major companies, business leaders representing the Korean economy gathered, including Samsung Chairman Lee Jae-yong, Hyundai Motor Chairman Chung Eui-sun, LG Chairman Koo Kwang-mo, Lotte Chairman Shin Dong-bin, Hanwha Vice Chairman Kim Dong-kwan, GS Chairman Huh Tae-soo, HD Hyundai Chairman Kwon Oh-gap, Shinsegae Vice Chairman Chung Yong-jin, Doosan Chairman Park Jeong-won, LS Chairman Koo Ja-eun, and Hyundai Group Chairwoman Hyun Jeong-eun. In regional economic circles, over 20 leaders including Daegu Chamber of Commerce Chairman Lee Jae-ha, Incheon Chamber Chairman Shim Jae-seon, Daejeon Chamber Chairman Jeong Tae-hee, and Ulsan Chamber Chairman Lee Yoon-cheol attended.
Government officials present included Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Choo Kyung-ho, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Lee Chang-yang, Minister of SMEs and Startups Lee Young, Minister of Science and ICT Lee Jong-ho, Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min, Minister of Environment Han Hwa-jin, Minister of Employment and Labor Lee Jeong-sik, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong, Fair Trade Commission Chairman Han Ki-jung, Financial Services Commission Chairman Kim Ju-hyun, National Tax Service Commissioner Kim Chang-gi, and Customs Service Commissioner Yoon Tae-sik.
The opening video of the New Year's meeting received high praise from attendees by capturing the efforts and achievements of economic figures and hopes for the new year. Especially, hopeful news such as South Korea's advancement to the World Cup round of 16 and coal mine survivors deeply resonated, and the message to economic leaders that "the important thing is an unyielding spirit" and to continue the light of hope was moving.
During the 'New Year's Greetings' segment, leaders of economic organizations, regional chamber chairpersons, representatives of small businesses, self-employed workers, employees, and students conveyed their hopes and resolutions for the new year through video. As a congratulatory performance, the children's choir 'Dream Growing Children' sang Sumi Jo's 'Champion,' expressing hope for the economic resurgence of South Korea, capturing the attention of attendees.
The 'Economic Community New Year's Meeting' is the largest New Year's event in the economic sector, attended by business leaders and key government officials, held annually since 1962 to pledge progress and leap forward in the new year.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
