Lee Taesik, CEO of Junggi Distribution Center, "Leading the Acceleration of Digital Transformation for SMEs and Small Business Owners"

100-Day Inauguration Marked with Meeting on the 25th
Announcement of 3 Major Innovation Directions
"Change 'Center' Name to Enhance Status"

"In the rapidly changing paradigm of the distribution industry, we will take the lead in accelerating the digital transformation of small and medium-sized ventures and small businesses, and focus our capabilities on supporting management stability and overcoming crises."

Lee Tae-sik, CEO of the Small and Medium Business Distribution Center (hereinafter referred to as the Distribution Center), made this statement during a press conference held on the 25th in Yeouido to mark his 100th day in office, presenting the Distribution Center's three major innovation directions for the innovative growth of small and medium ventures and small businesses.

CEO Lee worked at the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) for 31 years since 1987, and until December last year, he served as the CEO of BEXCO (Busan Exhibition and Convention Center) and chairman of the Korea Exhibition Operators Association for four years. Since his appointment as CEO of the Distribution Center in April this year, he has focused on gathering and communicating internal staff opinions on business and organizational innovation plans, enhancing the concreteness and feasibility of the innovation measures.

Lee Tae-sik, CEO of the Small and Medium Business Distribution Center, is speaking at a press conference held on the 25th in Yeouido to mark his 100th day in office.

Digital Transformation of Small and Medium Ventures and Small Businesses

The three major innovation directions proposed by CEO Lee are divided into policy innovation, management innovation, and organizational innovation. First, the Distribution Center decided to promote policy innovation to support the digital transformation and management crisis recovery of small and medium ventures and small businesses. Specifically, it plans to expand the use of 'Panpandaero,' a platform that integrates the discovery of excellent products, sales channel support projects, and provides sales and distribution information, to other public institutions. This is to provide one-stop support for the distribution network entry of excellent small and medium ventures and small business products.

Support will also be provided to nurture 100,000 e-commerce small business owners through public-private collaboration. To this end, voluntary participation in win-win support by private distribution platforms will be encouraged, and digital capability development for small business owners will be assisted through Sodam Square nationwide, which is a digital transformation infrastructure facility for small business owners.

The nationwide consumer promotion festival, Donghaeng Festival, will be expanded to operate three times a year. Following the Spring Donghaeng Festival in May, the 'Hwanggeumnyeok Festival' in September and the 'Snow Flower Festival' in December will follow in the second half of the year.

Discovering Future Growth Engines

CEO Lee will also pursue future growth engines through management innovation. As a partner for the innovative growth of small and medium ventures and small businesses, a task force (TF) for innovation in sales channel support projects and strengthening future growth momentum was formed on the 14th and will operate throughout the second half of the year. Focus areas for review include logistics support for small and medium enterprises, overseas sales channel support utilizing the Korean Wave, expansion of small and medium enterprises' entry into the public procurement market, and local government-linked commercialization plans for sales channel support.

CEO Lee also explained that after his appointment, he formed an organizational innovation TF and identified 22 tasks and derived improvement plans. Based on these improvements, the Enterprise Growth Support Office and ESG Performance Strategy Team were newly established to advance support projects and establish demand-oriented policies. CEO Lee said, "In the second half of the year, we will redefine the institution's role and identity reflecting the changed environment, and on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the institution's founding in 2025, we will newly present the institution's mission and vision." In particular, reflecting the various business areas of the Small and Medium Business Distribution Center, he plans to change the name from 'Center' to 'Corporation' to elevate its status.

CEO Lee emphasized, "Through continuous innovation and demand-oriented customized support, we will become a trusted institution for the nation and the people by ensuring the sustainable growth of small and medium ventures and small businesses."

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