Korea Federation of SMEs to Host 'Leaders Forum' from 16th to 19th... Special Lectures by Ruling and Opposition Leaders

Around 250 Small Business Owners Attend
Seeking Solutions for the 'Vnomics Era'

Kim Ki-moon, Chairman of the Korea Federation of SMEs, is giving a greeting at the Financial Services Commission's on-site meeting with small and medium enterprises and small business owners held at the Korea Federation of SMEs in Yeouido, Seoul, on the morning of the 9th. On this day, Ko Seung-beom, Chairman of the Financial Services Commission, is known to have listened to opinions on financial difficulties of small and medium enterprises and small business owners related to the COVID-19 crisis, as well as financial support measures such as maturity extension and repayment deferral through the meeting. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bo-kyung] The Korea Federation of SMEs held the opening ceremony of the '2021 SME Leaders Forum' on the 16th at the Hilton Hotel in Gyeongju.

Marking its 14th year, the Leaders Forum is attended by over 250 small and medium-sized business owners from various industries and regions nationwide. From the 16th to the 19th, over a period of 3 nights and 4 days, under the theme 'SMEs in the V-nomics Era,' participants seek solutions for SME growth and explore roles and visions amid the new paradigm shaped by COVID-19.

The opening ceremony was attended by Kim Ki-moon, Chairman of the Korea Federation of SMEs, Song Young-gil, Leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, Lee Jun-seok, Leader of the People Power Party, Kwon Chil-seung, Minister of SMEs and Startups, and Joo Nak-young, Mayor of Gyeongju.

Leaders Song Young-gil and Lee Jun-seok each delivered special lectures at the opening ceremony on the theme 'Future Vision of Korea and SME Policy Directions,' presenting their respective parties' SME policy directions followed by a Q&A session. Minister Kwon is scheduled to explain the government's SME policies through a keynote speech titled 'SMEs, Ventures, and Small Businesses as the Main Actors of Recovery and Leap Forward.'

On the second day, the 17th, a policy discussion titled 'Presenting Solutions for SMEs in the With-COVID Era' will be held, where experts from industry, academia, and research will discuss SME policy tasks for the next government aimed at the economic re-acceleration of Korea ahead of the upcoming presidential election.

SME owners will visit traditional markets in the Gyeongju area to purchase goods and deliver them to 20 welfare facilities in the district as part of a love-sharing event, alongside various special lectures in different fields. On the 18th, Xing Haiming, the Chinese Ambassador to Korea, is scheduled to give a lecture on 'Current Status and Prospects of Korea-China Economic and Trade Cooperation.'

Chairman Kim Ki-moon stated in his opening remarks, "In the V-nomics era, the leaders who will drive challenge and innovation are SMEs," adding, "To overcome the COVID crisis, become an economic powerhouse, and create a world where all citizens are happy, 6.88 million SMEs must be at the center of growth and employment."

As SME policy tasks, he proposed △ resolving the polarization between large and small-medium enterprises △ balanced policies on employment and labor △ restoring entrepreneurial spirit, while emphasizing mid- to long-term policies for SMEs to respond to economic megatrends such as carbon neutrality, ESG, and digital transformation.

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