First Field Visit of National Integration Committee to SMEs... Kim Han-gil "I Will Listen to Many Difficulties"

Kim Han-gil, Chairman of the National Integration Committee (center), visited Ilwoo Precision, a specialized manufacturer of molds and injection products located in Bucheon City, on the 7th to listen to the difficulties faced by small and medium-sized enterprises.

[Asia Economy Reporter Donghyun Choi] "For the Special Committee on Win-Win Cooperation between Large and Small-Medium Enterprises to derive desirable and realistic win-win models and policy alternatives, it is essential to first properly listen to the voices from the small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) field."

On the 7th, Kim Hangil, Chairman of the National Integration Committee, visited Ilwoo Precision, a mold and injection molding specialized manufacturer located in Bucheon City, stating, "I will listen to as many stories as possible about what causes the difficulties faced by SMEs and how policies should be improved."

This visit by Chairman Kim is the first field visit since the establishment of the 'Special Committee on Win-Win Cooperation between Large and Small-Medium Enterprises' under the Integration Committee on the 13th of last month. The event was attended by Chairman Kim, Han Junghwa, Chairperson of the Special Committee on Win-Win Cooperation between Large and Small-Medium Enterprises, Kim Gi-moon, President of the Korea Federation of SMEs, and Park Joobong, SME Ombudsman. They jointly considered ways to reduce the increasing economic difficulties faced by companies.

Ilwoo Precision is an SME boasting over 30 years of experience. The mold and injection molding industry, which is Ilwoo Precision’s main focus, is a foundational industry for all manufacturing sectors. It serves as the basis for securing leadership in the global supply chain and is a core industry underpinning Korea’s key export sectors such as automobiles, various home appliances, and advanced information technology devices.

At the meeting, participating businesspeople expressed opinions on various institutional improvement measures for win-win cooperation between large and small-medium enterprises, including the introduction of a delivery price linkage system and improvements in raw material supply methods. They also discussed the degree to which SMEs feel the economic conditions and regulatory reforms necessary for launching innovative products.

The Special Committee plans to reflect the opinions presented that day to prepare policy alternatives aimed at building a win-win cooperation ecosystem and improving unreasonable systems and practices. Han Junghwa, Chairperson of the Special Committee on Win-Win Cooperation between Large and Small-Medium Enterprises, emphasized, "Despite nearly 20 years of discussions on win-win cooperation between large and small-medium enterprises, satisfactory advanced-country-style cooperation has not been achieved due to a lack of policy efforts. This time, since the President has promised, we will diligently listen to the voices from the SME field and ensure they are reflected in policies."

Chairman Kim stated, "Win-win cooperation between companies is a matter of survival for our companies to survive in the global market," adding, "We will faithfully review the voices from the field raised today centered on the Special Committee and strive to provide practical help."

Kim Gi-moon, President of the Korea Federation of SMEs, also stressed, "SMEs are facing increasing difficulties due to the fourfold hardships of high inflation, high exchange rates, high interest rates, and labor shortages," and expressed hope that "the Special Committee will take the lead in resolving urgent SME issues."

The Integration Committee plans to continue listening to the opinions of businesspeople and related organizations through meetings and public hearings in the future.

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