Kim Ki-moon, chairman of the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Enterprises, met on the 4th with Jung Cheong-rae, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, and said, "Please pay attention to ensure that small shipbuilding equipment and parts companies do not suffer losses when exporting." This expressed concerns regarding U.S. tariff policies.
The Korea Federation of Small and Medium Enterprises announced on the 4th that it held a policy meeting titled "Policy meeting with Jung Cheong-rae, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, and small business owners".
Attendees at the meeting included Representative Jung, Han Jeong-ae, chairperson of the Policy Committee, Kim Won-hee, secretary of the Trade, Industry, Energy, SMEs, and Startups Committee, and Kwon Chil-seung, chairperson of the special committee on small enterprises.
Around 40 people attended from the small business community, including Kim Ki-moon, chairman of the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Enterprises, Yoon Hak-soo, chairman of the Korea Specialty Contractors Association, and Jo In-ho, chairman of the Korea Machinery and Equipment Construction Association.
Kim Ki-moon, chairman of KBIZ, remarked, "When becoming a party leader, it's common to meet with large corporations first, but it's meaningful that Representative Jung Cheong-rae prioritized small business owners and the small business sector," adding that "over 1 million small businesses and self-employed individuals went bankrupt last year due to the worsening economic situation."
He continued, "The Mutual Agreement on Tariffs (MASGA) reached during the recent South Korea-U.S. summit seems likely to present new opportunities for the small shipbuilding equipment industry," but he also noted, "Due to the U.S.'s high tariff policy, a 50% tariff is imposed on steel and aluminum derivatives, and we ask for attention to ensure that small shipbuilding equipment and parts companies do not suffer losses when exporting."
On this day, the small business community proposed several issues, including ▲current issues related to tariffs and trade for small enterprises ▲clarification of employer definitions under labor laws and the introduction of employer defense rights ▲prevention of industrial accidents and quality improvement through fair construction industry production structures ▲legislative supplements related to commercial law amendments ▲guaranteeing the autonomy of continued employment of elderly workers and expanding incentives ▲creating a fair pricing environment between large and small enterprises ▲supporting small business growth and nurturing.
Representative Jung mentioned that President Lee Jae-myung emphasizes the prevention and eradication of industrial accidents. He stated, "We must prevent people from dying at workplaces due to money," and added, "I ask that small business owners pay attention to this."
He continued, "Small businesses account for 99.9% of all corporations in Korea," and added that "small businesses play a pivotal role in supporting and maintaining the economic lives of the people of Korea."
Moreover, he stated, "If small businesses develop and thrive, jobs will increase, the unemployment rate will decrease, and household income will improve, leading to more active consumption," adding that "the Democratic Party will strive to address injustices in relationships between large and small businesses, subcontracting relationships, technology theft, and unfair practices within the management process."
The day before, after being elected as leader, Representative Jung visited the Korea Federation of Micro Enterprise (KFME) as his first stop in the economic sector and then visited KBIZ.
The previous day, the Korea Federation of Micro Enterprise commented on expanding the application of the Labor Standards Act to businesses with fewer than five employees, saying, "If the 52-hour work week and annual leave allowances are applied to these businesses, it would result in an additional 42 million won in wages annually," adding, "In a situation where sales are not happening and labor costs are only increasing, it is a burden that micro businesses find difficult to endure."