Gumi Chamber of Commerce and Industry Holds 41st Gumi CEO Forum and 53rd Commerce Day Awards Ceremony

The Gumi Chamber of Commerce and Industry in North Gyeongsang Province (Chairman Yoon Jaeho) and IM Bank (President Kang Junghoon) held the "41st Gumi CEO Forum and 53rd Commerce Day Awards Ceremony" at 7:30 a.m. on March 18, 2026, in the main auditorium on the second floor of the Gumi Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The event was attended by more than 250 people, including Chairman Yoon Jaeho, President Kang Junghoon, Gumi Mayor Kim Jangho, Chairman of the Gumi City Council Park Kyosang, President of Kumoh National Institute of Technology Kim Sangho, heads of institutions and organizations, city council members, chamber members, representatives and employees of member companies, and members of the press.

"41st Gumi CEO Forum and 53rd Commerce Day Awards Ceremony" held followed by commemorative photo / Photo by Lee Whan Kim

The event included breakfast, introductions of distinguished guests, the 53rd Commerce Day awards, greetings from key guests, and a special lecture. At the awards ceremony, Lee Hoonjae, CEO of KV Materials Co., Ltd. (who received the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry President’s Commendation), along with 51 other individuals who made significant contributions to the development of the regional economy, were recognized in celebration of the 53rd Commerce Day.

Following this, Professor Jeon Youngsoo of Hanyang University's Graduate School of International Studies, widely known as a population expert through various TV programs such as KBS's "Issue Pick with Teacher" and tvN's "Future Class," was invited as the keynote speaker. He began his lecture under the theme "Population Crisis and Response Strategies: Understanding Population to See the Future."

Professor Jeon explained, "Population decline is not simply a crisis, but a 'predetermined future' that will transform economic, industrial, and social structures. We must turn this into an opportunity rather than a crisis."

He emphasized, "Industrial restructuring will accelerate due to wage increases, automation, and innovation, and the speed of adaptation to changes—such as responding to new markets created by the growth of single-person households and the elderly population and the establishment of appropriate policies—will determine the success of the regional economy."

In his lecture, Professor Jeon focused on several key topics: the long-term trends of the economy and population; changes in demographic structure and their economic impacts caused by low birth rates and aging; the effects of a shrinking working-age population on industry and business management; new consumer markets and industrial opportunities in the era of population decline; and corporate response strategies. He also analyzed the demographic and industrial characteristics of the Gumi region and suggested "business opportunities and response directions that Gumi should pay attention to," taking into account the local manufacturing base.

Meanwhile, Professor Jeon Youngsoo is currently serving as a professor at Hanyang University's Graduate School of International Studies. He also serves as a member of the Board of Audit and Inspection, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and the Ministry of Justice's population policy advisory committees, as well as a member of Seoul City's Population Change Response and Grand Remodeling Committees. He previously served as an expert member of the Presidential Committee on Jobs and as a deliberation member of the Ministry of Economy and Finance’s Cooperative Policy Deliberation Committee. He is currently the president of the Korea-Japan Political Economy Society.

His major publications include "The Great Transformation of Wealth Due to Population Decline," "Korea's Population Trends," "The Future of Korea's Population Consumption," and "The Future of Korea in the Population Shock Era," among others.

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