"Always Ready as Mentors" Female Entrepreneurs' Business Challenge Solvers 'Women Entrepreneurs DESK'

175 Consultations Received at Women CEO Management Training Event
Customized Loan Product Recommendations... Exploring Export and Market Support

Lee Jeong-han, Chairperson of the Women's Enterprise Comprehensive Support Center

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bo-kyung] Kang Kyung-hye, CEO of Daehung Airfog, a small and medium-sized enterprise specializing in agricultural irrigation facilities, recently purchased land to expand facilities. However, building a structure requires more funds than expected. She wondered if she could receive low-interest loan support. She visited the 'Women Entrepreneurs Desk (DESK)' operated by the Women Entrepreneurs Comprehensive Support Center. The consulting specialist told her, "For companies needing funds for facility investment, it is possible to apply for the 'IBK Facility Investment Loan' at Industrial Bank of Korea."

The Korea Women Entrepreneurs Association held the '2022 National Women CEOs Management Training' over two days, from the 26th to 27th of last month, at the Ulsan Exhibition & Convention Center. During the event, the Women Entrepreneurs Comprehensive Support Center conducted consultations at the Women Entrepreneurs Management Difficulty Desk in the seminar room. Six specialists in fields such as export, finance, and marketing were in charge of the consultations.

About 1,000 women CEOs from across the country participated in the event, and the number of management consultation requests received that day reached 175.

Kang Kyung-hye, CEO of Daehung Airfog, who was struggling to secure funds for facility expansion, learned through the consultation that there is a loan product suitable for her. The specialist in charge of her consultation said, "If you have any questions about funds or finance, I will always act as a mentor."

The center completed 57 free consulting sessions for women-owned businesses at the desk consultation site, and consultations that could not be completed due to time constraints are being conducted sequentially afterward.

Park Sang-soon, CEO of Dongwon Oil, operates a feed manufacturing business. He requested consultation on how to export squid viscera processed concentrated feed to Vietnam, China, and other countries. The export consultation specialist recommended the B2B export support project and overseas buyer discovery support project. Additionally, mentoring was provided to utilize women entrepreneurs' overseas exhibitions and trade consultation meetings operated by the center, and local buyer information was promised to be provided for overseas market entry.

Park Han-jung, CEO of Samjin Korea, closed an auto parts factory and purchased a 40,000-pyeong mountain in Bonghwa, Gyeongbuk, where he currently resides. However, byproducts such as matsutake mushrooms, angelica tree shoots, eucommia tree, and walnut trees from the mountain were more abundant than expected, so he visited the Women Entrepreneurs Desk to find a method for full-scale production and sales.

The specialist explained the 'joint calculation system' as a method for selling agricultural products to CEO Park. Farmers only produce, and sales are entrusted to specialized sales companies, which consign to the agricultural cooperative, deduct a certain sales commission, and then pay the profit from the products. The specialist recommended consulting with a nearby agricultural cooperative about consignment sales and promised to continuously provide information for finding sales channels afterward.

Lee Jeong-han, director of the Women Entrepreneurs Comprehensive Support Center, said, "The Women Entrepreneurs Desk consultation, held as a side event at the management training, a gathering of 3 million women CEOs nationwide, enlivened the event," and added, "We will continue to spare no support for the free consulting 'Women Entrepreneurs DESK' project for women-owned businesses."

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