Gwangju Chamber of Commerce Announces New and Key Business Plans for the Next 3 Years

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Gwan-woo] The Gwangju Chamber of Commerce and Industry announced the five core strategies and new key promotion plans to be pursued during the upcoming three-year term, coinciding with the inauguration of the 24th president.

On the 26th, Gwangju Chamber held the first standing committee meeting of the 24th term, where it deliberated and approved plans for new and key projects as well as supplementary budgets, the chamber announced on the 27th.

At this meeting, Gwangju Chamber set its business goals for the next three years as becoming a "think tank for creating regional future growth engines" and a "partner for the growth and development of member companies."

The five core strategies announced are: ▲ Leading regional economic development in the post-COVID-19 era ▲ Fostering key local and future promising industries and creating jobs ▲ Supporting sustainable growth and development of local companies ▲ Expanding cooperative projects for mutual growth of member companies ▲ Enhancing chamber finances and strengthening internal capabilities.

By 2023, the chamber plans to expand its own revenue budget to 5 billion KRW, increase membership to 2,600 companies, raise membership fees to 2.5 billion KRW, and grow government and local government cooperative projects to 3 billion KRW as key performance indicators.

Additionally, it intends to implement a total of 63 promotion tasks, including 26 new projects.

President Jeong Chang-seon, who succeeded in his reappointment, achieved results over the past three years such as contributing to the successful establishment of the Gwangju-type job model based on labor-management coexistence, conducting 132 government recommendation activities, expanding government and local government commissioned projects, successfully remodeling the chamber building, and strengthening financial soundness through increased revenue from qualification examinations.

Gwangju Chamber plans to support local companies and member firms in overcoming crises amid structural social and economic changes after COVID-19, focusing on fostering future promising industries to lead regional economic development.

As part of this, it will discover new projects such as supporting local companies’ response capabilities in the post-COVID-19 era, providing ESG (environmental, social, and governance) management support for SMEs, offering future core technology convergence packages for promising companies, and enhancing corporate response capabilities for realizing AI and the Green New Deal.

Moreover, amid ongoing domestic and international economic downturn concerns due to the resurgence of COVID-19, the chamber plans to prioritize resolving corporate difficulties and providing customized services to member companies to normalize management and enable a leap forward.

In particular, it will strengthen support systems for continuous monitoring by major industries, regulatory improvements and institutional innovation to foster local industries, expand operation of the FTA Utilization Support Center, and continue projects supporting local companies’ market expansion and exports such as providing tailored bidding information for SMEs.

Furthermore, the chamber will implement various member services including certification projects for excellent member companies, scholarship programs for employees’ children, welfare services for SME workers, and the establishment of a non-face-to-face cyber training center. It will also form standing committee subcommittees and add cultural support projects for member companies to provide networking opportunities among members.

To enhance finances, Gwangju Chamber plans to focus on diversifying fund management, increasing revenue through expanded qualification examinations, and strengthening internal capabilities by introducing an electronic approval system for efficient work management.

President Jeong Chang-seon stated, “We will contribute to solving major regional issues and proactively respond to the post-COVID-19 era to aid regional economic recovery and development,” adding, “We will do our utmost to transform the regional economy into a future-oriented industrial structure.”

Full-time Vice President Choi Jong-man said, “We will do our best to lead the regional economy so that local companies can make a leap forward in line with the post-COVID-19 era,” and added, “We will communicate and harmonize with member companies, carefully examine what companies need in the changing environment, and promote various support projects accordingly.”

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