Communicating with 1,700 SME Stakeholders This Year Alone... "KOSME On-Site Program" Established as a Leading Communication Platform

49 Sessions Held by August This Year
430 Suggestions Collected: 379 Resolved On-Site, 30 Follow-Up Actions Taken

The achievements of the "Small and Medium Business Corporation On-Site Program," a field support initiative by the Korea SMEs and Startups Agency (KOSME), are becoming increasingly tangible. Since the beginning of this year alone, the program has directly engaged with more than 1,700 small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) stakeholders, incorporating over 430 suggestions into policy. It is now recognized as a leading communication platform for SMEs.

According to KOSME on September 9, the "Small and Medium Business Corporation On-Site Program" was held 49 times from the start of the year through last month. Considering that the program continued into September, it has already surpassed 50 sessions. This means that KOSME executives and employees have visited SME sites at least once a week, or three times every two weeks, through this program. By August alone, Chairman Kang Seokjin personally led 21 of these events.

On the 1st, Kang Seokjin, the Chairman, is speaking at the Small and Medium Business Corporation Jeju Island on-site meeting. Small and Medium Business Corporation

The "Small and Medium Business Corporation On-Site Program" involves KOSME executives and staff visiting companies and industrial sites to listen to their challenges and provide a comprehensive package of customized services tailored to each company's situation. The program has been actively promoted since the second half of last year, with KOSME proactively reaching out to areas where there is demand from SMEs. Services are offered as packages that combine at least two components, such as business briefings, seminars, on-site meetings, company visits, and regulatory discovery. The decision for KOSME to visit companies directly stems from ongoing feedback that SMEs continue to face difficulties when visiting KOSME offices or applying for policy funds. Chairman Kang has also emphasized, "What customers need most from KOSME is a proactive approach-visiting first, understanding their difficulties, and solving their problems."

The program is gaining attention not only for its frequency but also for its tangible effectiveness. As of last month, the program had engaged with 1,689 SME stakeholders and collected 430 suggestions. Of these, 379 issues were resolved on-site, 30 received follow-up action, and 21 are under mid- to long-term review for regulatory improvements. This demonstrates that the program is not simply about providing on-site services, but is actively working to resolve challenges faced by SMEs.

A notable example involves the employment of foreign workers (E-9 visa holders), where the program facilitated the inclusion of work experience and related information. Previously, the Foreign Worker Employment Management System only provided data on gender, height, nationality, and communication skills. Companies experiencing difficulties due to mismatches in job requirements, experience, and skill levels raised concerns, and through on-site visits and ombudsman recommendations, KOSME helped ensure that work experience and other relevant information were included in the system.

Participant satisfaction is also high. In a survey of 601 companies that participated in the program through the second quarter of this year, 81% responded that solutions were provided for their suggestions, and 83% said they gained specific business information. A KOSME representative stated, "The focus of the Small and Medium Business Corporation On-Site Program is to quickly reflect the voices from the field into policy," adding, "We plan to further strengthen our role as a 'problem-solving KOSME' by adding more detailed programs in the future."

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