The Korea Federation of Small and Medium Enterprises (sme) announced on the 17th that it held a meeting for small and medium enterprises (sme) hosted by Hankyung Jeong, the chairman of the Fair Trade Commission, at the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Enterprises (sme) in Yeouido, Seoul. Hankyung Jeong attended the meeting to address the economic situation and listen to the on-site difficulties of the small and medium enterprises (sme) sector amidst recent national chaos.
Business representatives attending the meeting conveyed 19 issues related to unfair trade, including ▲expanding the linkage targets for subcontracting payments and strengthening the actual investigation ▲supporting affected small and medium enterprises (sme) using penalty surcharges for unfair trade ▲amendments to exclude the application of the Fair Trade Act for cooperative joint projects ▲swift establishment of regulations to invalidate unfair terms for the protection of small and medium enterprises (sme) ▲enactment of laws regarding the fair operation of online platforms, and requested for improvement measures.
Kim Gi-moon, chairman of the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Enterprises (sme), noted, "With the recent instability in the domestic situation, the exchange rate has surged, leading to skyrocketing raw material prices and logistics costs, while domestic demand is stagnating, causing numerous small and medium enterprises (sme) and small business owners to express difficulties." He added, "I hope the Fair Trade Commission will play an active role in creating an environment where small and medium enterprises (sme) can receive fair prices for their deliveries, including the swift stabilization of the delivery price linkage system."
In response, Hankyung Jeong stated, "We will continue our efforts to stabilize the delivery price linkage system to improve the management conditions of small and medium enterprises (sme)." He also mentioned, "We will respond sternly to illegal acts that undermine the original purpose of the linkage system." He further stated, "Even amid difficult economic conditions, we aim to resolve the polarization of our society and ensure that small and medium enterprises (sme) can become the core growth engine of our economy, setting this as the Fair Trade Commission's goal for 2025."
The meeting was attended by 14 representatives from small and medium enterprises (sme) associations and cooperatives, including Kim Gi-moon, chairman of the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Enterprises (sme), Yun Hak-soo, president of the Korea Specialized Construction Association, Jo In-ho, president of the Korea Machinery and Equipment Construction Association, Jeong Hyun-sik, president of the Korea Franchise Industry Association, Jeong Kwang-cheon, president of the Innovative Business Association, and Bae Jo-woong, the president of the Korea Ready-Mix Concrete Industry Cooperative Federation.