Ministry of SMEs and Startups, 4th Anniversary Marks the Opening of the 'Sejong Era'

Expecting Effective Communication and Cooperation Among Ministries Through Pre-Sejong Era

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced on the 26th that it held a plaque unveiling ceremony at the Sejong Government Complex, where it newly settled after 23 years since its launch as the Small and Medium Business Administration. Photo by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] The Ministry of SMEs and Startups has opened a new era in Sejong City four years after its launch.

On the 26th, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced that it held a plaque unveiling ceremony at the Sejong Government Complex, its new home after 23 years since its establishment as the Small and Medium Business Administration.

At the ceremony, Im Seo-jung, Senior Secretary for Jobs, attended and delivered a special message from President Moon Jae-in.

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups was elevated from the Small and Medium Business Administration to a ministry in 2017, when the Moon Jae-in administration took office. With the relocation to the Sejong Government Complex, the ministry plans to strengthen its policy capabilities by enhancing the overall coordination function of SME policies across all ministries, and establishing a system for developing mid- to long-term policies and big data-based policies to prepare for the future of SMEs.

The relocation to Sejong was finalized in January this year after submitting a letter of intent to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety in October last year, followed by public hearings and consultations with related ministries. The move took place over three days from the 12th to the 14th.

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups building in Eojin-dong, Sejong City, stands out for its design, which differs from typical government offices by embracing the themes of ‘Innovation’ and ‘Fun’ to match the young and innovative image of the institution.

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups building stands out for being designed differently from traditional government offices, fitting its image as a young and innovative institution with the themes of 'Innovation' and 'Fun.' A book cafe space furnished with bean bag sofas. Photo by Ministry of SMEs and Startups

First, to activate communication within the organization, the 4th-floor book caf? and central lounges on each floor were designed as open spaces with bean bag sofas, hammocks, and swings.

Additionally, individual workspaces were provided throughout the building where employees can quietly think alone without concern for others’ gaze, enhancing concentration on their tasks.

Furthermore, in response to the non-face-to-face era, video conference rooms were installed throughout the building to enable seamless communication with external parties regardless of location, improving work efficiency.

The ministry explained that it created various types of meeting rooms such as swing, floor-seated, and standing rooms, incorporating the lively ideas of employees to encourage creative thinking beyond conventional frameworks.

Minister Kwon Chil-seung of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups said, “With the opening of the Sejong era for the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, we will do our best to meet the expectations of small business owners and the SME startup community,” adding, “The newly established ministry building was designed to break away from the stagnant image of public institutions and to provide a space where employees can think and work creatively and innovatively.”

Minister Kwon also visited small business owners such as cafes and restaurants who had already moved into the ministry building, distributing ‘moving celebration rice cakes’ and said, “We will do our best to restore the economic sentiment of small business owners to the pre-COVID-19 level.”

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