A Competition Held to Confirm the Status of 'Economic Main Actors Small Business Owners'

2023 South Korea Small Business Conference Held
Minister Lee Young: "Promoting Four Core Tasks for Small Businesses"

'Small Business Owners Among the People, Key Players in the Korean Economy' is the slogan for this year's Small Business Owners Conference. It signifies an opportunity to raise awareness of the role and importance of small business owners in the national economy, as well as a festival in which all citizens can participate together. Especially this year, befitting the status of small business owners as key economic players, government awards for exemplary small business owners, a support performance for small business owners, and a win-win agreement ceremony between small business owners and large platform companies were held.

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups (Minister Lee Young) held the '2023 Korea Small Business Owners Conference (hereafter Small Business Owners Conference)' on the 3rd at KINTEX. The Small Business Owners Conference has been held annually since 2006, marking its 18th event this year. It is the largest festival for small business owners, held to enhance the social and economic awareness of small business owners and to promote communication and harmony among them.

Lee Young, Minister of SMEs and Startups, is taking a commemorative photo with attendees after completing a win-win agreement at the '2023 Korea Small Business Conference' held on the 3rd at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi.

At this year’s government awards ceremony for small business owners, a total of 144 awards were presented, including 2 Industrial Medals, 2 Industrial Commendations, 8 Presidential Citations, and 10 Prime Minister Citations to exemplary small business owners, contributors to development, and outstanding support organizations. The Cheoltap Industrial Medal was awarded to Kim Dong-myeong, CEO of Beomseong Precision, who contributed to the development of the nuclear industry over 31 years. The Seoktap Industrial Medal was awarded to Kang Chung-ho, CEO of Shinhung Fastener, who contributed to the localization of metal parts such as bolts and nuts.

Kim Dong-myeong, CEO of Beomseong Precision (left), and Kang Chung-ho, CEO of Shinhung Fastener

During the subsequent support performance for small business owners, representatives from various industries completed a puzzle to form a message of encouragement, while wish balls inscribed with hopes floated up from the audience, conveying messages praying for the recovery and leap forward of small business owners.

A win-win agreement ceremony was also held. Industry associations and organizations representing small business owners signed a 'Growing Together' agreement with large platform companies to support small business owners’ entry and utilization of platforms amid digital transformation. This expressed their commitment to creating a prosperous Korea together. Participants in this agreement included the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business, 11st, the Korea Franchise Association and Kakao, the Korea Foodservice Industry Association and Woowa Brothers, and the Korea Beauty Industry Association and Naver.

Minister Lee Young, who attended the event, stated, "The Ministry of SMEs and Startups plans to focus on four core tasks to enable small business owners to make a new leap forward: smart and digital-based management innovation, fostering glocal small business owners, expanding the growth foundation of traditional markets and commercial districts, and regulatory reform. I hope all small business owners take pride in being proud economic players who make the lives of the people happier and dedicate themselves to their businesses to become successful entrepreneurs."

Meanwhile, the Small Business Owners Conference, which continues until the 4th, will offer various programs that small business owners and the public can enjoy together.

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