'2021 Small and Medium Business Regulatory Innovation Award'... 'Hammer Trophy' Presented to Meritorious Recipients

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bo-kyung] The Small and Medium Business Ombudsman, in collaboration with IBK Industrial Bank of Korea, held the '2021 Korea Small and Medium Business Regulatory Innovation Awards' on the 23rd at the Grand Ballroom Hall of the 63 Building in Yeouido, Seoul.

This event was organized to encourage the achievements of those who led regulatory innovation this year. A total of 67 people were honored, including 47 outstanding public officials and public institution/organization representatives who carried out regulatory innovation and proactive administration, and 20 small and medium business owners who led social contribution and technological innovation.

Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum attended the event, delivering a congratulatory speech and presenting presidential citations to the regulatory innovation awardees. Ombudsman Park Joo-bong awarded the 'Hammer Trophy' along with the ministerial citation, symbolizing a strong commitment to regulatory innovation by breaking down regulations that hinder business growth with a hammer.

Among the major awardees, Kangnam-gu Korean Central Power Deputy General Manager was recognized for establishing the operational regulations of the Corporate Growth Response Center, a dedicated window for resolving regulatory difficulties faced by in-house SMEs, and for efforts to identify and resolve corporate grievances through corporate meetings, receiving the presidential citation.

Kim Sun-woo, Director of the Science and Technology Policy Institute, was awarded the Prime Minister's citation for his contribution to establishing an institutional foundation that opens the era of popular entrepreneurship in Korea through technology-based startup research. The university-specific startup fund creation, startup performance and survey disclosure system proposed by Director Kim have now been institutionalized and are in operation.

Jubong Park, Small and Medium Business Ombudsman

Oh Seung-han, CEO of Taerim Industry, a manufacturer of automobile steering devices, was recognized for various efforts for regional development, including signing industry-academia cooperation agreements with specialized high schools in the region since 2011, hiring more than five students annually, and opening the company's smart factory cases to local SMEs, schools, and organizations for utilization, receiving the Minister of Strategy and Finance citation.

Yang Seung-chan, CEO of Stars Tech, was recognized as an innovative company for leading the industry by manufacturing eco-friendly de-icing agents using marine waste starfish and continuously developing new products for the market, receiving the Minister of SMEs and Startups citation.

Prime Minister Kim said, "The government will strive to proactively discover unreasonable regulations through proactive administration and create an environment where small and medium businesses can fully demonstrate their capabilities."

Ombudsman Park stated, "Although the business environment is difficult due to COVID-19, we will devote ourselves to regulatory improvement and proactive administration so that small and medium businesses and small merchants can regain vitality and make a leap forward."

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