Dedicated Organization Established to Focus on Fostering Small Manufacturers

First Step: Visiting the Mullae Small Manufacturer Cluster Site

A dedicated organization has been newly established within the Ministry of SMEs and Startups to focus on the intensive development of small manufacturers.

On December 1, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced the launch of the autonomous body "Small Manufacturer Growth Promotion Team" to support the growth and innovation of small manufacturers, who form the foundation of Korea's manufacturing industry, amid a rapidly changing industrial environment and the transition to a digital economy.

Lee Byungkwon, Second Vice Minister of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, visited Samho Precision in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul on the 1st, touring the site and discussing difficulties. Ministry of SMEs and Startups

Small manufacturers, who create added value in the manufacturing sector based on their skilled techniques, are the capillaries of the manufacturing industry. They account for approximately 88.5% of all manufacturing businesses (about 546,000 companies) and 24.5% of jobs (1.23 million people), making them key players supporting the local and everyday economy in Korea. Recognizing the importance of small manufacturers, the Ministry has been expanding its support, and the establishment of the Small Manufacturer Growth Promotion Team aims to further strengthen this support system.

The newly established Small Manufacturer Growth Promotion Team plans to systematically pursue the redesign of support systems and policies for small manufacturers, develop customized support measures by industry, and promote the digital transformation of manufacturing sites.

As its first initiative, the Small Manufacturer Growth Promotion Team visited small manufacturing sites to listen to their voices. Immediately after the launch of the dedicated organization, Lee Byungkwon, Second Vice Minister of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, visited small manufacturers and the specialized support center in Mullae-dong, the nation’s largest cluster for machinery and metal small manufacturers. There, he listened to difficulties on the ground, including rising raw material prices, labor shortages due to an aging workforce, digitalization, and responding to global competition. He then held a meeting with the heads of small manufacturer associations and organizations to exchange opinions on the challenges faced in the field and ways to strengthen the competitiveness of small manufacturers.

Vice Minister Lee stated, "Small manufacturers are the backbone of the regional manufacturing industry and key players sustaining the industrial ecosystem. With the establishment of this dedicated organization, we will be even more attentive to the field and do our utmost to ensure that the difficulties faced on the ground are addressed through practical policies."

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