Gwangju-Jeonnam Small and Medium Business Administration Holds 'SME Support Council' Meeting

Listening to the Challenges of Cooperative Member Companies at the Korea Federation of SMEs

The Gwangju-Jeonnam Small and Medium Venture Business Administration under the Ministry of SMEs and Startups held the 'SME Support Council' on the 22nd at the seminar room on the 2nd floor of the Gwangju Economic Promotion and Win-Win Job Foundation. The meeting was attended by representatives of cooperative member companies from the Gwangju-Jeonnam Headquarters of the Korea Federation of SMEs.
[Photo by Gwangju-Jeonnam Small and Medium Venture Business Administration]

The Gwangju-Jeonnam Regional Small and Medium Venture Business Administration (Administrator Jo Jong-rae, hereinafter referred to as SMVBA) under the Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced on the 23rd that it held the ‘Gwangju-Jeonnam Regional SME Support Council’ jointly with the Gwangju-Jeonnam Headquarters of the Korea Federation of SMEs (Chairman Im Kyung-jun) at the Gwangju Economic Promotion and Win-Win Job Foundation on the 22nd.

The SME Support Council holds a ‘communication meeting’ every month to listen to various on-site regulations and difficulties, and this time it was organized to resolve difficulties faced by the Korea Federation of SMEs cooperatives and their members.

At the meeting, key agenda items such as core tasks and cooperation matters of each institution were shared. The Gwangju-Jeonnam Regional SMVBA explained key details about the ‘2024 SME Convergence Expo’ aimed at spreading a culture of exchange and convergence among SMEs, seeking active participation and cooperation from related organizations. The Gwangju Regional Employment and Labor Office requested guidance for local companies regarding the ‘Enterprise Leap Guarantee Package’ support project.

Additionally, the Gwangju-Jeonnam Regional Military Manpower Administration requested cooperation from attending institutions to promote the ‘Industrial Technical Personnel System’ and encourage active recruitment, while the Bank of Korea requested institutional cooperation to support local companies related to the ‘Crisis Sign Detection System for SMEs Located in the Region.’

Following this, during a meeting with the chairpersons of the Korea Federation of SMEs cooperatives, discussions were held to listen to major issues, regulations, and difficulties faced by cooperative members and to seek improvement measures.

Cooperative A requested active use of the ‘Cooperative Recommendation System’ when purchasing goods from public institutions to promote the purchase of products produced locally, and Cooperative B proposed expanding the budget for the local ‘Cooperative-exclusive Cooperative Fund.’ In addition, attending businesspeople suggested ▲expanding approval of Onnuri gift certificate affiliated stores ▲cooperation in publicity to establish the payment linkage system for delivery payments. In response, the relevant institutions explained the current status and support measures.

Im Kyung-jun, Chairman of the Gwangju-Jeonnam Korea Federation of SMEs, stated, “Active interest and support from the government and local governments are urgently needed for the development and competitiveness enhancement of local cooperatives,” adding, “The Korea Federation of SMEs will also do its best to expand sales channels and improve regulations for local SMEs.”

Jo Jong-rae, Administrator of the Gwangju-Jeonnam SMVBA, said, “This meeting was a valuable opportunity to directly hear the difficulties SMEs face on the ground,” promising, “We will play many roles and provide active support to revitalize local SMEs.”