[Column] K-Startup Event Falls Flat Amid President Yoon's Diplomatic Controversy

Last week in New York, USA, a major event was held to promote Korean companies on the international stage. The Ministry of SMEs and Startups organized the 'Korea-US Startup Summit,' planned three months in advance in collaboration with domestic and foreign large corporations, for startups and small businesses dreaming of global expansion, held over two days starting on the 20th (local time).

The reporter arrived early in the morning to check out the atmosphere at the venue. As I tried to head to the 4th floor where the Startup Summit was taking place, a local security guard guarding the building stopped me, saying, "Entry is not allowed without a pass." There was a reason for the strict security: President Yoon Seok-yeol was scheduled to attend the event.

The president’s schedule is top secret and a security matter for ministry reporters. Not only is reporting prohibited, but even mentioning it is restricted. All reporters respect the security reasons and cooperate to ensure the president’s schedule proceeds smoothly, maintaining an embargo until the event concludes.

However, about an hour before the main event, news came that President Yoon might not be able to attend, and ultimately he did not appear. The event was delayed by about 30 minutes. Government officials clearly struggled to maintain their composure. Businesspeople also could not hide their disappointment. Although it was due to diplomatic schedules, a more skillful response was regrettable. The main protagonists of the Startup Summit should have been the ‘companies,’ but the event lost momentum even before it began.

It would have been better if the head of state had attended the scheduled event, but preparation and consideration for the possibility of non-attendance were also necessary. Even if the president was absent, the ministries should have communicated closely in advance and taken proactive measures to ensure the event could proceed smoothly.

President Yoon reportedly emphasized ‘freedom’ several times in his recent UN General Assembly speech. This might be a good opportunity to reflect on the meaning of freedom. For reference, the British thinker John Stuart Mill, who wrote On Liberty, said over 160 years ago about the principle of freedom: one must be able to live freely and take responsibility for one’s actions ‘as long as it does not harm others.’

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