Choi Tae-won Heads to Ulsan on the 14th... Practicing 'New Entrepreneurship' to Solve Regional Issues

Declaration of 'Commemoration Week' Including the 15th Commerce Day
Fulfilling '3E' Schedule: Entrepreneurship, Expo, and More

Choi Tae-won, Chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), will visit Ulsan, the "industrial mecca," on the 14th to mark the 50th anniversary of "Commerce and Industry Day."

The KCCI announced on the 2nd that Chairman Choi will visit a fire station in Ulsan to listen to their welfare and safety support needs and discuss solutions. His care for local firefighters is part of practicing the role of companies as partners in solving regional issues together.

Earlier, in May last year, Chairman Choi held the "New Entrepreneurship Declaration Ceremony" at the KCCI building in Jung-gu, Seoul, stating, "Companies will declare and practice a 'new entrepreneurship' that values and fosters growth not only through creating jobs and profits but also by cherishing and developing together with all stakeholders surrounding the company, including customers, shareholders, partners, and local communities."

Chairman Chey Tae-won of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry announcing the Entrepreneurship Round Table (ERT) at the New Entrepreneurship Spirit Declaration Ceremony held at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Jung-gu, Seoul, in May last year / Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

Besides Chairman Choi's surprise visit to Ulsan, the KCCI plans to hold various events throughout the week including March 15, which is Commerce and Industry Day. The KCCI said, "Celebrating its 139th year, the KCCI will declare a commemorative week to share the concerns and solutions of 21st-century businesspeople, induce corporate transformation, and increase public consensus." The slogan for this year is "50 Years of Challenge, 100 Years of Vision." Commerce and Industry Day is a legal commemorative day established to promote commerce and industry, observed annually on the third Wednesday of March.

The KCCI explained that 21st-century businesspeople focus on the "3E": Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurship Round Table (ERT), and EXPO. To address these concerns, they will highlight the new role of companies for the next 100 years. The KCCI stated that businesspeople, who were the main drivers of economic growth for the past 50 years, now express their determination to tackle social issues.

The first day, March 13, is ESG (Environment, Social, Governance) Day. At the KCCI building in front of Sungnyemun Gate in Jung-gu, Seoul, solutions for "ESG innovative growth" will be shared. It is expected to be beneficial for medium and small enterprises by emphasizing that ESG can be an opportunity rather than a cost for companies.

The second day is New Entrepreneurship Day, the day Chairman Choi visits Ulsan. In the morning, Woo Tae-hee, Executive Vice Chairman of the KCCI, will hold a regional economic forum in Ulsan to discuss traditional industrial policy tasks and other issues.

On the 15th, the "50th Commerce and Industry Day Commemoration Ceremony" will be held. About 220 businesspeople will receive awards such as industrial medals. Attention will also focus on which company will receive the highest honor, the Gold Tower Industrial Medal. In 1974, the Gold Tower Industrial Medal was awarded to Kim Yong-wan, the de facto founder of the textile company Kyungbang, who emphasized corporate social responsibility by stating that "companies are public instruments of society."

Chairman Chey Tae-won of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry delivering the opening address at the 49th Commerce Day ceremony held last March at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

March 16 is Startup Day. The KCCI building is expected to be bustling with the MZ generation. The "Startup Build-up Forum" will discuss recent startup trends and the concerns of social ventures aiming to fill social blind spots. The final day, March 17, is EXPO Day, carrying the nation's hopes for hosting the EXPO. The KCCI plans to create a communication platform to ensure that the Busan EXPO becomes a venue where people worldwide can jointly consider humanity’s problems and propose practical solutions. Additionally, during the commemorative week, the KCCI will release reports scientifically examining the past, present, and future of businesspeople through studies titled "Corporate Favorability" and "Businesspeople Seen Through 50 Years of the Korean Economy."

The public can also enjoy small pleasures by participating in Commerce and Industry Week. They can join a 50-character writing contest on the theme of "21st-century Businesspeople" on the KCCI communication platform. They can also attend the "Building Forest Concert" held during lunchtime on the 13th, 14th, and 16th at the KCCI building. Executive Vice Chairman Woo said, "To mark the 50th anniversary of Commerce and Industry Day, we have prepared a commemorative week to look back on the past of challenges and passion and to pledge a new future. We hope not only companies but also the public will support the present and future of businesspeople."