Gwangju City Selects Total of 8 Outstanding Small Business Owners and Technology Masters in 2020

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Seon-gang] Gwangju Metropolitan City selected five outstanding small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) owners and three technical masters in 2020 and awarded plaques on the 20th.

The outstanding SME owners are selected annually since 2012 among local SMEs with excellent technological capabilities who have contributed to regional economic development through job creation and other efforts. This year, there was a high competition rate of 4:1 with 20 applicants.

This year's outstanding SME owners are ▲ Kang Sang-do (43), CEO of MPNIX Co., Ltd. ▲ Kim Yong-gu (57), CEO of Hyundai Hi-Tech Co., Ltd. ▲ Kim Jeong-gi (40), CEO of The High Co., Ltd. ▲ Park In-cheol (54), CEO of GOC Co., Ltd. ▲ Yang Oh-yeol (47), CEO of Dongjin Enterprise Co., Ltd.

The outstanding SME owners will receive a total of 12 types of financial, tax, and administrative benefits for two years, including increased limits on management stabilization funds and additional interest differential compensation, deferral of local tax audits, and preferential support for trade promotion projects.

Kang Sang-do, CEO of MPNIX Co., Ltd., produces micro optical components, successfully localized core 5G optical communication components, secured the world's first wafer form manufacturing technology, and leads the global optical components field for optical communication as a global small giant company exporting over 90% of annual sales.

Kim Yong-gu, CEO of Hyundai Hi-Tech Co., Ltd., produces automobile body parts, focusing management policies on technological innovation and quality improvement. Through bold facility investments and R&D support, he has achieved steady sales growth and actively participates in regional talent recruitment and the Gwangju-type job project, contributing to the development of the automobile industry and regional economy.

Kim Jeong-gi, CEO of The High Co., Ltd., produces organic rice snacks and infant snacks, pursues 'right management' for children's safe food, actively employs vulnerable groups and people with disabilities to expand jobs, and participates in community service activities with employees to practice donations and good deeds.

Park In-cheol, CEO of GOC Co., Ltd., produces optical cables, optical components, and optical devices. With Asia's largest production facilities and high technological capabilities, he strengthens cost competitiveness and supplies optical cable products to domestic and international markets. He has established overseas subsidiaries in Indonesia, China, Portugal, and Uzbekistan to actively expand global business.

Yang Oh-yeol, CEO of Dongjin Enterprise Co., Ltd., mainly produces secondary battery equipment (electric vehicle batteries). Through continuous management innovation for technology development and quality improvement, he has achieved an average annual sales growth of over 38% and contributed to regional economic revitalization through improving the rights and welfare of people with disabilities and employing local talent.

Next, the technical masters are selected among technicians working in local small and medium manufacturing companies who have contributed to productivity improvement through new technology development and cost reduction.

This year, three people were selected: ▲ Kim Bu-gon (50) of Woosung Precision Co., Ltd. ▲ Lee Young-jae (58) of Kwangil Machinery Co., Ltd. ▲ Lim Yong-taek (64) of Hyunjin Enterprise Co., Ltd. Each technical master will receive a 6 million KRW incentive.

Kim Bu-gon of Woosung Precision Co., Ltd. has worked for 26 years, contributing to increased company sales through the development of double injection technology, achieving cost savings of about 1.1 billion KRW through deficit escape and survival cost achievement campaigns, and nurturing juniors by documenting mold technology.

Lee Young-jae of Kwangil Machinery Co., Ltd. has worked for over 32 years, improving body parts-related technology, contributing to productivity improvement by reducing processes and saving about 400 million KRW in costs. He also worked to create a safe working environment through activities such as the in-house safety and health council and accident-free campaigns.

Lim Yong-taek of Hyunjin Enterprise Co., Ltd. has worked for 23 years, contributing to the development of core company technologies such as air purification and virus sterilization systems. Notably, as an inventor of 56 patents, he strengthened the technological competitiveness of SMEs.

Lee Yong-seop, Mayor of Gwangju, said, "The innovative leadership and craftsmanship of the awardees, who have continuously developed technology and contributed to regional industrial development, will be an opportunity for innovation that revitalizes the regional economy and pioneers new markets worldwide." He added, "We will support new technology development and quality management activation with budgets and policies so that they can lead to regional industrial development and job creation."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.