President Yoon Suk-yeol is cutting rice cake with business leaders at the New Year's Meeting of the Economic Community held at COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul on the 2nd. From the left, Huh Chang-soo, Chairman of the Federation of Korean Industries; Chey Tae-won, Chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry; President Yoon; and Kim Ki-moon, Chairman of the Korea Federation of SMEs. [Photo by Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bo-kyung] The Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business (Kbiz) held the 'Economic Community New Year's Meeting' on the 2nd, together with the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), attended by President Yoon Suk-yeol.
The New Year's meeting, held at COEX in Samseong-dong, Seoul, was attended by about 500 key figures from various sectors, including representatives of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) nationwide and by industry, SME organizations, large company representatives, and government officials.
From the economic sector, attendees included △ Kim Ki-moon, President of Kbiz △ Chey Tae-won, Chairman of KCCI △ Huh Chang-soo, Chairman of the Federation of Korean Industries △ Sohn Kyung-shik, Chairman of the Korea Employers Federation △ Koo Ja-yeol, Chairman of the Korea International Trade Association, as well as heads of SME-related organizations and representatives of SMEs by industry. Notably, chairmen of the top 10 large corporations, including Samsung Chairman Lee Jae-yong, participated, pledging to revitalize the economy through cooperation between large and small businesses.
In addition to President Yoon, attendees included △ Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Choo Kyung-ho △ Minister of SMEs and Startups Lee Young △ Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Lee Chang-yang △ 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.
In his greeting, President Kim Ki-moon said, "The Miracle on the Han River was possible because entrepreneurs and workers worked day and night in industrial sites with the determination to live well," adding, "I hope this year will be the starting point for a country where large corporations, SMEs, and workers all live well together." He emphasized, "For this, swift and bold regulatory reforms and labor market reforms to restore corporate vitality are necessary."
He stated, "We will also do our best to establish the system of the delivery price linkage system, which is set to be implemented this year, so that even small micro-enterprises can receive fair prices and workers can receive appropriate wages."
Meanwhile, this year, by integrating and expanding the New Year's meetings previously promoted separately by Kbiz and KCCI into a joint event, the economic community not only fostered harmony but also created an occasion for the public and private sectors to pledge the economic re-advancement of the Republic of Korea together.
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