Gwak Inhak, CEO of Gwangsteel, and Lee Youngju, CEO of Chilgap Nongsan, 'Proud SMEs People' of Q3

Selected by the Korea Federation of SMEs

The Korea Federation of SMEs and the Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced on the 18th that Gwak Inhak, CEO of Gwangsteel, and Lee Youngju, CEO of Chilgap Nongsan, were selected as the 'Proud Small Business Owners' for the third quarter. The Proud Small Business Owner award is a system established by the Korea Federation of SMEs and the Ministry of SMEs and Startups to discover and reward outstanding entrepreneurs who have contributed to the development of national industries through management rationalization, export increase, technology development, and more, aiming to promote exemplary small business owners.

Gwak Inhak, CEO of Gwang Steel

Gwangsteel is a company that manufactures and distributes interior and exterior building materials. Since its establishment in 2000, it has contributed to the development of the building interior and exterior materials industry through excellent technology development and securing intellectual property rights in the metal panel sector. Gwangsteel's technology development efforts on Speedblock Metal Panels, Sandwich Panels, and Integrated Window Systems have contributed to preventing the spread of building fires and solved issues related to silicone contamination and leakage, establishing the company as a leader in eco-friendly technology. In particular, the Speedblock Metal Panel was the first product to receive quality certification from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and obtained the Public Procurement Service's Excellent Product Certification.

CEO Gwak invested in the establishment and expansion of Gimje Plant 1 and Gimje Plant 2 to create local employment, utilizing talented local personnel for new hires, thereby promoting employment of middle-aged and young workers and improving unemployment rates. He also focused on employee welfare and improving labor-management relations, earning certifications as a family-friendly and work innovation excellent company. Since 2015, through year-end sharing events, all employees have actively participated in volunteer activities and donations, leading efforts to realize social value.

Lee Young-joo, CEO of Chilgap Nongsan

Chilgap Nongsan has developed various food products such as rice cakes, rice noodles, broth, and internal combustion products for export, entering the international market. It ranks among the top 10 noodle exporters according to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety standards and is active as a representative of Korea's K-Food. This year, it has been recognized for its outstanding quality by winning the Korea Brand Power Award in the food sector for seven consecutive years. At the ‘2024 Korea Small Business Owners Convention,’ Chilgap Nongsan’s tteokbokki was selected as a representative K-Food product, with product tasting and exhibition held.

Since taking office in 2010, CEO Lee has optimized all supply chain stages including production and distribution, achieving approximately 187% sales growth. In addition to existing sales channels such as Nonghyup and supermarkets, he has sought to expand online sales channels like Coupang and Market Kurly, as well as overseas markets, contributing to improved performance and business stabilization. Thanks to these efforts, Chilgap Nongsan exports about 300 refrigerated, frozen, and ambient products to more than 30 countries including North and South America and Europe.