Choi Tae-won and Jeong Cheong-rae Attend the Meeting
Gathering Again Three Months After September
Building Consensus and Seeking Solutions
Metropolitan Area's Share of GDP Surpasses Non-Metropolitan Regions
On December 16, Chairman Choi Tae-won and other executives from the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry held a meeting with Jeong Cheong-rae, leader of the Democratic Party, and the party’s policy leadership at the Chamber Lounge in the KCCI building in Jung-gu, Seoul. They shared tasks that need to be carried out for regional development.
On September 8, 2025, Jeong Cheong-rae, leader of the Democratic Party, and Choi Tae-won, chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, attended the "Democratic Party-Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry Policy Meeting" held at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yoon Dongju
From the Democratic Party, attendees included leader Jeong Cheong-rae, Supreme Council member Seo Samseok, Policy Committee Chairperson Han Jeongae, Kim Woni, secretary of the Industry, Trade, and SMEs Committee, Kim Jooyoung, secretary of the Climate, Energy, Environment, and Labor Committee, Assemblyman Jeong Ilyoung of the Strategy and Finance Committee, spokesperson Kwon Hyangyeop, and Kim Younghwan, Chief Secretary to the Party Leader. Representing the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry were Chairman Choi Tae-won, Yang Jaesaeng, Chairman of the Busan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Jeong Taehee, Chairman of the Daejeon Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Lee Hyunghee, Vice Chairman of SK Group, Woo Kihong, Vice Chairman of Korean Air, Jeong Yeonin, Vice Chairman of Doosan Enerbility, Park Seunghee, President of Samsung Electronics, Geum Jonghan, President of Hanwha, Heo Minhui, President of CJ, Kim Dongwook, Executive Vice President of Hyundai Motor Company, Park Junseong, Executive Vice President of LG, Lim Seongbok, Head of Communications at Lotte Holdings, Yang Wonjun, Executive Vice President of POSCO Holdings, Ryu Geun-chan, Executive Vice President of HD Hyundai, Kim Seongwon, CEO of GS E&R, and Lim Hyeongseop, CEO of Shinsegae Food.
This meeting was held three months after the previous gathering in September, which followed Jeong Cheong-rae’s inauguration as party leader. While the September meeting addressed a wide range of corporate proposals across all sectors of the economy, this session focused on fostering a deeper consensus and seeking solutions under the theme of “regional development.” Although numerous policies have been implemented for regional development, fundamental solutions remain elusive. Recently, issues such as regional industrial crises and population outflow have intensified. For this reason, the meeting’s theme was set with the intent that both the political and business sectors should work together to find solutions.
Over the past decade (2013-2023), the gross regional domestic product (GRDP) of the Seoul metropolitan area increased by 39%, while non-metropolitan regions saw only a 20.1% rise. Due to this difference in growth rates, the share of the metropolitan area and non-metropolitan areas in the nation’s total gross domestic product (GDP) has reversed. In 2013, the metropolitan area accounted for 49.4% of total GDP, while non-metropolitan regions made up 50.6%. By 2023, the metropolitan area’s share had risen to 52.3%, with non-metropolitan regions falling to 47.7%.
During the meeting, participants discussed various measures to address these deepening regional issues and shared opinions on current policies. First, there was a discussion on special zone policies for regional development, such as the government’s ongoing “RE100 Industrial Complex Effectiveness Enhancement Plan.” There were also talks on building regional power systems, including measures to improve the efficiency of power supply for local high-tech industries and support for the transition to carbon neutrality. In addition, participants discussed ways to encourage corporate investment in regional areas.
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