Medium-Sized Enterprises: "Open Regional Cooperation Must Be Strengthened Beyond the US-China Bipolar System"

Korea Federation of Medium-Sized Enterprises and Korea Importers Association
Host '2025 Medium-Sized Enterprise International Cooperation Meet-Up Day'

Following the successful conclusion of Korea-US trade and security negotiations, the medium-sized enterprise sector has voiced the opinion that, in order to build a growth foundation for effectively responding to the restructuring of the global order, it is necessary to strengthen open regional cooperation that goes beyond the US-China bipolar system.

According to the Korea Federation of Medium-Sized Enterprises on November 18, Chairman Choi Jin-sik stated this during the '2025 Medium-Sized Enterprise International Cooperation Meet-Up Day: Korea-ASEAN Business Networking Day for Expanding Trade and Partnerships.' This 'Meet-Up Day,' which marks the opening of the third week of November as Medium-Sized Enterprise Week, was organized to explore strategies for strengthening trade and supply chain cooperation with ASEAN, which is emerging as a key axis of the new trade order, as well as effective ways for medium-sized enterprises to enter the ASEAN market.

Choi Jin-sik, Chairman of the Korea Federation of Medium-Sized Enterprises, is delivering the opening address. KFME

At the event co-hosted by the Korea Federation of Medium-Sized Enterprises and the Korea Importers Association on November 17 at the Fairmont Ambassador Seoul, Chairman Choi emphasized, "Cooperation with ASEAN, the main pillar of the New Southern Policy, is crucial as it is the world's fifth-largest economic bloc, a vast market with 680 million young people, and a business partner with advanced manufacturing capabilities." He added, "We must restore the balance of the trade and commerce order based on the advancement of WTO norms, and establish the foundation for a future-oriented alliance to support the post-dual system by strengthening multilayered regional cooperation, not only with ASEAN but also through the expansion of multilateral FTAs."

Chairman Choi continued, "Medium-sized enterprises, which possess top-tier innovation capabilities and connectivity within global supply chains, are the key players best positioned to effectively respond to global challenges such as AI transformation and supply chain restructuring." He added, "Based on close communication with ASEAN, which serves as a 'major growth engine of the global economy,' we can achieve substantial and future-oriented new accomplishments that set a model for global trade and commerce."

This 'Meet-Up Day' featured keynote speeches by Ha Dae-guk, Director of ASEAN Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Joo Won, Head of Research at Hyundai Research Institute, as well as a Korea-ASEAN networking session. Yeo Han-koo, Trade Negotiations Minister at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, who attended the event, stated, "ASEAN has emerged as the second-largest region for trade and investment and is at the center of the New Southern Policy." He added, "By upgrading the Korea-ASEAN FTA with a focus on digitalization, we will lay the foundation for deepening mutual cooperation, and through proactive 'practical diplomacy,' we will remove trade barriers such as non-tariff barriers to support the successful overseas expansion of companies, including medium-sized enterprises."

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