Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry Launches External Cooperation Committee... Sangwon Han Appointed as Co-chair

Sangwon Han, Chairman of Gwangju Chamber of Commerce and Industry

The Gwangju Chamber of Commerce and Industry announced on the 26th that it is actively participating as a co-chair in the "External Cooperation Committee" launched by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, institutionalizing communication between the National Assembly and the local business community and working to reflect regional issues in legislation.

The External Cooperation Committee is composed of the presidents of 74 regional chambers of commerce nationwide and is operated under a system of co-chairs for each of the seven regions: the Seoul metropolitan area, Central region, Yeongnam, Honam, and Jeju, among others. Sangwon Han, Chairman of the Gwangju Chamber of Commerce and Industry, has been appointed as the inaugural co-chair representing the Honam and Jeju regions. Other co-chairs appointed include Jaesaeng Yang, Chairman of the Busan Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Jubong Park, Chairman of the Incheon Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Yunkyung Park, Chairman of the Daegu Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Taehee Jung, Chairman of the Daejeon Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Yoonchul Lee, Chairman of the Ulsan Chamber of Commerce and Industry; and Haedong Bae, Chairman of the Anyang-Gwacheon Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

This committee serves as a representative consultative body of the business community, aiming to move beyond fragmented proposals on major legislative issues. It seeks to structurally convey the realities of businesses and regional demands to the National Assembly from the early stages of legislation and to exercise joint policy leadership.

Going forward, the committee plans to pursue regular communication with the National Assembly by providing recommendations and establishing joint response strategies on major economic bills, holding meetings with key standing committees of the National Assembly, and organizing on-site meetings between local constituencies and regional chambers of commerce. The committee also intends to review the introduction of a "mega sandbox" as a model for regional innovation.

The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry stated, "As the influence of legislation grows, it is time for the business community to fulfill its role as a more responsible legislative partner," and added, "Through the committee, we have established a balanced operational system for each region to ensure that the opinions of local businesses are effectively reflected in policy."

Sangwon Han, Chairman of the Gwangju Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said, "As Gwangju is emerging as a forward base for national strategic industries such as future vehicles, AI, and energy, it is essential to improve legislation and systems tailored to the characteristics of the region. Through the External Cooperation Committee, we will strive to effectively deliver the voices of companies in Gwangju and other regions to the National Assembly and help the business community establish itself as a substantive legislative partner."