Ministry of SMEs holds 'Jungso Gieop Yunghap Daejeon'... Showcasing Technology Exchange Achievements

Awarding a Total of 15 Government Honors Including the Silver Tower Medal

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced that it held the opening ceremony of the ‘2023 SME Convergence Expo’ on the 16th at Songdo Convensia in Incheon Metropolitan City.

Lee Young, Minister of SMEs and Startups Photo by Ministry of SMEs and Startups

The SME Convergence Expo is an annual event that exhibits innovative achievements created through technology exchange, collaboration, and technology convergence among companies, and awards meritorious persons. This year marks its tenth anniversary.

At the opening ceremony, a total of 15 government awards were presented, including one Silver Tower Order of Industrial Service Merit, one Bronze Tower Order of Industrial Service Merit, two Industrial Service Medals, five Presidential Citations, and six Prime Minister Citations.

Kang Seung-gu, CEO of K-One Electronics, who received the Silver Tower Order of Industrial Service Merit, contributed to the development of related industries by enhancing product price competitiveness through establishing a battery module assembly line applied to electric carts and electric tools. Kim Il-hwan, CEO of Allso Tech, who received the Bronze Tower Order of Industrial Service Merit, was recognized for his contributions to the development of the medical industry by securing intellectual property rights in the advanced medical field and collaborating with specialized medical staff at university hospitals to develop orthopedic implants.

Lee Young, Minister of SMEs and Startups, said, “We will focus all policy measures on achieving the ‘K-SME 50+’ goal, where SMEs account for more than 50% of our economy’s exports and sales,” adding, “To this end, we will actively support collaborative activities of SMEs pioneering new industries through open innovation and strategic alliances in an environment where industrial boundaries disappear and technologies converge.”

Meanwhile, at the event, a ‘Global Biz Market Export Consultation’ was held to support collaborative companies in pioneering overseas markets, with participation from 41 overseas buyers and over 150 domestic companies. During the export consultation, a signing ceremony was held for one export contract and three export business agreements (MOUs) that had been arranged prior to the event between companies and buyers. The Ministry of SMEs and Startups, Incheon City, the Korea Federation of SMEs Convergence, and 13 regional federations also signed the ‘Regional SME K-Together Sharing Project’ agreement, expressing their intention to create an ecosystem where regional SMEs can grow together.

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