Choi Tae-won, Chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, "We will establish a Regional Economy Team to Revitalize the Local Economy"

Choi Tae-won to Hold Meeting with Presidents of National Chambers of Commerce on the 18th

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoonju Hwang] Choi Tae-won, Chairman of the Seoul Chamber of Commerce and Industry, held his first meeting with regional chamber chairmen.

The Seoul Chamber of Commerce and Industry announced on the afternoon of the 18th that it held the "National Chamber of Commerce Chairmen's Meeting" at the Chamber of Commerce building. This event was the first greeting between the newly appointed Seoul Chamber chairman and the national chamber chairmen, and was conducted online in a non-face-to-face manner considering the COVID-19 situation.

At the meeting, 65 national chamber chairmen attended, including Choi Tae-won, Chairman of the Seoul Chamber, Jang In-hwa, Chairman of the Busan Chamber, Lee Jae-ha, Chairman of the Daegu Chamber, Shim Jae-sun, Chairman of the Incheon Chamber, Jeong Tae-hee, Chairman of the Daejeon Chamber, and Lee Yoon-cheol, Chairman of the Ulsan Chamber.

In his greeting, Chairman Choi said, "The Chamber of Commerce and Industry has the responsibility not only to represent the interests of its member companies but also to contribute to social development," adding, "Warm advice and cooperation from the national chamber chairmen are more necessary than anything else."

He continued, "The Korean economy is currently going through a very difficult period, and there is even doubt about whether it can recover to its original state," and added, "I think sales have decreased and the economy is worse in local areas than in the metropolitan area. In response, the Chamber will establish a regional economy team to work together to revitalize the local economy."

Chairman Choi also said, "With the new era, there will be expectations from the public for the Chamber, and how to meet these expectations is both a concern and a task," adding, "Especially with climate change, as all policies and regulations change, its influence will grow, so we must respond proactively. There will also be roles that companies must perform to solve social issues such as polarization."

Meanwhile, Jang In-hwa, Chairman of the Busan Chamber who participated in the meeting, said, "Although COVID-19 is constraining our economy, the Chamber must take the lead in overcoming difficulties and establishing a sustainable management system," and proposed, "Since ESG management is a major issue for our future, let's communicate and cooperate frequently going forward." Shim Jae-sun, Chairman of the Incheon Chamber, also said, "Now is the time to prepare for the post-COVID era and support policies that can help companies," adding, "Let's work together so that the national chambers can create a business-friendly environment."

Following this, Lee Jae-ha, Chairman of the Daegu Chamber, said, "Although you have not been in office long, expectations are already high," and added, "The Daegu Chamber will also support efforts to boost corporate morale and facilitate communication with the government." Additionally, Koo Ja-cheon, Chairman of the Changwon Chamber, said, "The Korean economy is in a tough situation, and at times like this, expectations for the Chamber are high," adding, "Let's have the Chamber play a central role in overcoming the COVID crisis and promoting regional economic development."

Woo Tae-hee, Executive Vice Chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said, "Since the Chairman of the Korea Chamber represents 73 regional chambers and 190,000 member companies nationwide, communication with the regional chamber chairmen is important," and added, "We plan to continuously hold meetings to listen to various issues surrounding the regional economy and to seek the direction the Korea Chamber should take."

Following the custom that the Chairman of the Seoul Chamber serves as the Chairman of the Korea Chamber, Chairman Choi Tae-won is scheduled to be elected as the 24th Chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry through the Korea Chamber's General Assembly on the 24th.

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