Signing of a 10 Billion KRW Business Agreement
to Support SME Digital and AI Transformation
On July 21, the Korea Federation of SMEs announced that it had signed a business agreement with KEPCO KDN to support SME digital transformation (DX) and artificial intelligence transformation (AX).
At the signing ceremony, key figures including Kim Kimoon, President of the Korea Federation of SMEs, Park Sanghyung, President of KEPCO KDN, Han Byungjun, Chairman of the AI Digital Transformation Committee at the Federation, and around ten other major stakeholders were in attendance. Additionally, KEPCO KDN stated that it would contribute to the Federation's 'Joint Business Support Fund' to enhance efficiency and promote joint business projects among SMEs.
Through this agreement, the following initiatives will be implemented to support the DX and AX of SME cooperatives: ▲AX and DX support programs for public contest-type joint projects ▲digital maturity assessments and customized consulting for SME cooperatives. To assist ICT SMEs in expanding their markets based on software as a service (SaaS), ▲support for entry into the KEPCO KDN open market (K-ECP) ▲and support for utilizing solutions for carbon neutrality and global supply chains will also be promoted.
Kim Kimoon, President of the Korea Federation of SMEs (left), and Park Sanghyung, President of KEPCO KDN, are posing for a commemorative photo after signing an agreement. Korea Federation of SMEs
To establish an SME data ecosystem, ▲dedicated spaces for cooperatives and the Federation will be provided within the KEPCO KDN data center (IDC), and ▲policy development will be pursued through data exchange, integration, and joint research between the two organizations.
In particular, KEPCO KDN plans to provide more than 10 billion KRW in support over five years starting from 2026, by contributing both in-kind resources such as its consulting expertise and infrastructure as an ICT specialist, as well as cash funding, to offer practical support to SMEs.
Regarding the agreement, Kim Kimoon, President of the Federation, stated, "While the AI utilization rate among SMEs is 5.3%, it reaches 48.8% among large enterprises, highlighting the severe digital divide between large companies and SMEs." He continued, "If the DX and AX of SMEs are not implemented swiftly, a decline in industrial vitality and weakened national competitiveness in our economy will be inevitable." Kim added, "With KEPCO KDN's contribution, support totaling 10 billion KRW over the next five years will begin, providing a real opportunity for SMEs and cooperatives to enhance their digital capabilities," and "We hope that large enterprises with experience and expertise in digital transformation and AI adoption, as demonstrated in collaborative smart factory projects, will further strengthen their support for the DX and AX of SMEs."
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