Jinju City, Spreading New K-Entrepreneurship ... Worldwide

Mayor Jo Gyu-il Delivers Keynote Speech at UN SME Day Event

K- Entrepreneurship Capital, Jinju

Jinju City in Gyeongnam is spreading K-Entrepreneurship as a new era spirit for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) worldwide.

Jinju City announced that the K-Entrepreneurship Global Delegation, led by Mayor Cho Gyu-il, will visit New York and Washington D.C. in the United States, as well as S?o Paulo in Brazil, from June 26 to July 3.

During the visit, Mayor Cho will start with a meeting with the executives of the International Council for Small Business (ICSB) on the 26th, deliver a keynote speech at the UN SME Day event on the 27th, give a special lecture to students and faculty at George Washington University on the 28th, and sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Video and Sound Museum on the 30th.

Chairman Ayman Tarabish is presenting an invitation to the United Nations Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Day event to Jo Gyu-il, Mayor of Jinju, Gyeongnam.

The Jinju global delegation regards this UN visit in the U.S. as a decisive turning point for the global expansion of Jinju’s K-Entrepreneurship and is making every effort to prepare for the events.

On the 26th, the global delegation will meet with ICSB executives to hold a preliminary discussion about the UN SME Day event and discuss detailed plans for the ‘K-Entrepreneurship Jinju International Forum’ to be co-hosted with ICSB in July.

At the UN SME Day event on the 27th, Mayor Cho will present on topics including “Jinju, the Capital of Korean Entrepreneurship,” highlighting Jinju’s strength in producing global founders, the origins of Jinju’s K-Entrepreneurship rooted in the Confucian philosophy of Nammyung Jo Sik, Jinju’s efforts to globally spread K-Entrepreneurship, and the value of Jinju K-Entrepreneurship as a new era spirit.

The global delegation will distribute a paper titled “The Origins of Korean Entrepreneurship,” which analyzes the archetype of K-Entrepreneurship distinct from Western entrepreneurship, to attendees to stimulate interest and attention toward K-Entrepreneurship and Jinju City.

UN SME Day was established by the UN General Assembly in 2017 in recognition of the growing need for SMEs to play a leading role in achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Held annually on June 27, the event provides a platform to support SMEs and startups and fosters collaboration among governments, international organizations, and businesses. This year’s theme is “Promoting SME Vitality through Support for Women and Youth Entrepreneurship and Resilient Supply Chains.”

It is very rare for a local government head to be invited as a speaker at the UN SME Day event. Mayor Cho’s invitation to deliver the keynote speech reflects the deep interest of the ICSB in “Jinju K-Entrepreneurship,” the entrepreneurial values pursued by global founders from Jinju such as Samsung, LG, and GS, who have been key contributors to South Korea’s economic growth. Jinju City signed an MOU with ICSB on February 15 to globally promote Jinju K-Entrepreneurship.

Other speakers at the UN SME Day event include Mayor Cho Gyu-il of Jinju, Sitembiso Nyoni, Zimbabwe’s Minister of Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development and Women’s Affairs, Rashin Sar Shapmiwai, a founder, and Ann Chapaz, head of the International Trade Centre’s institution and ecology sector.

On the 28th, the global delegation will visit George Washington University, renowned for its business school, at the invitation of Dr. Ayman Tarabishy, ICSB President and George Washington University professor. Mayor Cho will deliver a special lecture on Jinju K-Entrepreneurship to students and faculty.

On the 30th, the delegation will attend the “Light of Jinju Special Exhibition” in S?o Paulo, Brazil, and sign an MOU for cultural exchange activities with the Video and Sound Museum. The “Light of Jinju Special Exhibition” opened on June 17 and runs until August 20.

Jinju City expects that this visit to the UN Headquarters and George Washington University will be an opportunity to globally promote K-Entrepreneurship, which is differentiated from Western entrepreneurship, and to expand global partnerships for Jinju’s SMEs.

Meanwhile, the “K-Entrepreneurship Jinju International Forum” will be held for three days from July 9 to 11 at various locations in Jinju, including the Jinju K-Entrepreneurship Center, the Traditional Arts Center, and the Asia Lakeside Hotel. Co-hosted by Jinju City and ICSB, the forum will gather over 200 participants including ICSB members, university students from various countries, and domestic businesspeople. The forum will be conducted under the theme “Human Respect in K-Entrepreneurship” and will include the Jinju Declaration for the Spread of K-Entrepreneurship, keynote speeches, presentations and discussions, and academic paper presentations.

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