Kwon Chil-seung Meets with SME Entrepreneurs: "I'm Not a Closed-off Person... Contact Me Anytime"

Minister of SMEs Visits Korea Federation of SMEs for Industry Meeting
Delivers Over 40 Proposals to Overcome COVID-19 Crisis
Expresses Willingness to Communicate and Resolve Difficulties with Related Ministries

Minister Kwon Chil-seung of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups is speaking at a meeting with small business owners held at the Korea Federation of SMEs in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, on the 17th. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bo-kyung] On the 17th, Kwon Chil-seung, Minister of SMEs and Startups, met with small and medium-sized business owners for the first time since his inauguration to listen to their suggestions and communicate. Minister Kwon maintained an open attitude throughout, saying, "I will ensure that the voices from the field are reflected in policies" and "Please feel free to contact me anytime."

That afternoon, Minister Kwon held a meeting at the Korea Federation of SMEs in Yeouido, Seoul, with Kim Ki-moon, Chairman of the Federation, and vice chairpersons representing various industries. It was also his first visit to the Federation since taking office, serving as an introductory meeting with small and medium-sized business owners.

In his opening remarks, Chairman Kim requested the ministry to play a role in resolving conflicts between large and small businesses and fostering a culture of coexistence. Specifically, he mentioned ▲ unfair trade practices between large and small businesses ▲ market imbalances between online/offline distribution and small merchants ▲ irrationalities in the procurement market system, emphasizing the need for solutions to the "three new economic no's" problems.

Regarding the loss compensation system currently under discussion by the ruling party and government, Chairman Kim proposed, "Please include not only small merchants but also small enterprises in special employment support sectors severely hit by COVID-19, such as travel agencies and exhibition agencies," adding, "It would be reasonable to use sales decline as a reference for support criteria."

Minister Kwon Chil-seung of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups (left) is speaking at a meeting with small business owners held on the 17th at the Korea Federation of SMEs in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. On the right is Kim Ki-moon, President of the Korea Federation of SMEs. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

After Chairman Kim finished speaking, Minister Kwon responded, "I am not someone who is rigid or inflexible," assuring, "If you convey the voices from the field, I will make sure they are reflected in policies."

Minister Kwon expressed his condolences and gratitude for the efforts of the SME sector amid the COVID-19 situation, stating, "I will prioritize the recovery and leap forward of small and medium-sized enterprises and small merchants."

He added, "Considering the extremely difficult situation for small merchants due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, we will promptly execute support funds, provide loan support to reduce rental burdens, and offer tax benefits to help them endure the crisis with tailored assistance."

He also mentioned plans to focus on securing the competitiveness of traditional SMEs while promoting digital innovation for small merchants, such as smart stores and digital traditional market construction.

Minister Kwon expressed his determination to reflect the issues discussed at the meeting in future policies through consultations with relevant ministries and to resolve difficulties through communication with the industry. In particular, he told small and medium-sized business owners, "Please call me anytime," pledging to actively listen to voices from the field.

On this day, the SME sector delivered about 40 suggestions related to urgent tasks for overcoming the COVID-19 crisis. The industry requested ▲ expansion of the project scale for selecting strong small and medium-sized enterprises in materials, parts, and equipment ▲ easing the financial burden on companies participating in the smart factory project ▲ improvement of the competitive product system among SMEs ▲ improvement of the lowest price element in the public procurement market ▲ improvement of the system to receive fair payment for delivered goods.

Chairman Kim said, "We agreed to continue the conversations we couldn't finish today over the phone, and the minister also said we should call each other," adding, "Expectations from the SME sector will be high during his tenure."

On the 17th, a meeting between Kwon Chil-seung, Minister of SMEs and Startups, and small business owners was held at the Korea Federation of SMEs in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

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