The Korea Federation of Small and Medium Enterprises said on the 12th that it appointed KBIZ Vice Chairman Kim Dong-woo (Korea Concrete Industry Cooperative Federation chairman) and Vice Chairman Choi U-gak (Daegu-Gyeongbuk Machinery Cooperative chairman) as chairs of the "Korea-Japan SME Economic Forum," noting their extensive business experience in Japan.
Vice Chairman Kim Dong-woo has authored "You need to know Japan to see Korea," based on commonalities he felt between the two countries during multiple business trips to Japan. Vice Chairman Choi U-gak has experience in Korea-Japan technology cooperation, including acquiring the 75-year-old Japanese automatic lathe corporation "Nomura VTC."
To mark the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Korea and Japan, the "Korea-Japan SME Economic Forum" will be held on the 25th at the Hyatt Regency in Tokyo, Japan.
The forum is co-hosted by the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Enterprises and the Japan Federation of Associations of Small Business Entrepreneurs, with support from Korea's Ministry of SMEs and Startups and Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
About 200 people, including key government officials from both countries and representatives of small and medium enterprises, are expected to attend and hold the following: ▲ presentations on support policies for small and medium enterprises in both countries and cases of industrial cooperation ▲ a networking dinner ▲ showcases related to K-food, K-beauty, and K-goods.
Kim Ki-moon, head of the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Enterprises, said at the appointment ceremony, "With two vice chairmen who have a strong understanding of and extensive experience in the Japanese market taking the helm as chairs, we expect strong momentum for expanding exchanges with Japanese small and medium enterprises," adding, "We hope this forum will broaden exchanges between Korean and Japanese small and medium enterprises and serve as a starting point for building new cooperation models."