Son Kyung-sik: "Korea Should Learn from Ireland's Pro-Business Environment"

KCCI Hosts Business Meeting with Irish Delegation on the 2nd

Son Kyung-sik, Chairman of the Korea Employers Federation, emphasized that Korea should learn from Ireland's case, which actively attracted global corporate headquarters by creating a pro-business environment.

On the 2nd, the Korea Employers Federation held a business meeting with the Irish delegation at the Four Seasons Hotel in Jongno-gu, Seoul. The meeting was attended by 18 representatives of the Irish business community, including Simon Coveney, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment of Ireland. On the Korean side, 11 people attended, including Chairman Son, Lee Jang-han, Chairman of Chong Kun Dang, Park Hoon, Vice President of SK Supex Council, Cheon Sang-pil, Executive Director of Samsung Electronics, and Park Byung-hoon, Executive Director of Hyundai Motor Company.

The Korea Employers Federation held a meeting with business leaders invited from the Irish delegation on the 2nd. Attendees, including Son Kyung-sik, Chairman of the Korea Employers Federation (fifth from the left in the front row), and Simon Coveney, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment of Ireland, are posing for a commemorative photo.
[Photo by Korea Employers Federation]

In his opening remarks, Chairman Son said, "Korea is now at a critical juncture for strengthening national competitiveness and making major reforms for future generations," adding, "Ireland, which succeeded in building a pro-business environment including tax cuts and labor reforms, will be a good model for Korea."

He continued, "Ireland's experience with economic reform and social agreements offers many implications for the Korean economy and labor-management-government relations," explaining, "In 1987, Ireland overcame the recession and high unemployment crisis by labor, management, and government jointly signing a social partnership agreement, stabilizing wage increases, labor disputes, and unemployment rates."

Chairman Sohn Kyung-shik of the Korea Employers Federation is speaking at a business meeting with the Irish delegation on the 2nd.
[Photo by Korea Employers Federation]

Chairman Son highly praised Ireland's case of creating a pro-business environment and successfully attracting global multinational corporate headquarters. He said, "As a result of creating a pro-business environment such as lowering corporate tax rates, today, more than 1,700 multinational companies, including global IT companies like Google, Apple, Microsoft, and Meta, have entered, and Ireland is recognized as the 'European headquarters'."

Finally, Chairman Son appealed for support for Busan's bid ahead of the final vote for the host city of the 2030 World Expo scheduled for the end of this month. He added, "The Korean government, people, and companies are sincerely working hard to attract the Busan Expo," and "We ask for the interest and support of the Irish delegation."

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