Korea SMEs and Startups Agency (KOSME) said on the 19th that it held an on-site roundtable titled "Field roundtable to respond to the global trade environment for export-driven small but strong companies" with the Korea Association of Global CEOs at the President Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul.
The roundtable was arranged to hear damage cases that have emerged in the export field about a month after the United States implemented reciprocal tariffs and expanded item tariffs on derivative products of steel and aluminum, and to seek practical support measures.
About 30 representatives of export-oriented small and midsize companies attended the event, including KOSME Chairman Kang Seok-jin; Association President Seo Dong-man; KCC Precision representative Park Deok-gyu; Daemo Engineering representative Lee Won-hae; Daean Chemical representative Yun Yun-sik; and META-BIOMED representative Oh Seok-song.
On site, the main difficulties raised were: ▲ decreased sales due to weakened price competitiveness in the U.S. market ▲ difficulty confirming whether item tariffs apply ▲ instability among counterparties due to unit price renegotiations and changes in order volumes. In response, participants requested stronger policy support to ease management burdens, such as cutting logistics costs and expanding export financing support.
Association President Seo Dong-man said, "The Korea Association of Global CEOs will work closely with the government and related agencies to seek joint response measures and pool capabilities to overcome the crisis."
KOSME Chairman Kang Seok-jin said, "KOSME will actively reflect voices from the field and strengthen practical support, such as resolving logistics and financing difficulties and diversifying markets," adding, "We also expect export-driven small but strong companies to actively cooperate with government policies so we can overcome the crisis together."