The Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) said on the 1st that it created a dedicated, autonomous organization, the Small Manufacturer Growth Promotion Team, to support the growth and innovation of small manufacturers, the backbone of Korea's manufacturing industry, and visited factory floors to listen to on-site voices.
Small manufacturers are the actors who create added value in the manufacturing industry based on skilled techniques. By number of enterprises, they account for about 88.5% (about 546,000 enterprises) of the entire manufacturing industry, and 24.5% (1.23 million people) of jobs, propping up Korea's regional and everyday economies. The Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) launched the Small Manufacturer Growth Promotion Team to strengthen the support system for small manufacturers.
Second Vice Minister Lee Byeong-gweon visited small manufacturers and the specialized support center in Mullae-dong, the country's largest cluster for machinery and metal small manufacturers, immediately after the new dedicated body was created. He listened to on-site difficulties such as rising raw material prices, labor shortages due to aging, and responses to digitalization and global competition. He also exchanged views on strengthening the competitiveness of small manufacturers through a meeting with heads of representative associations and groups of small manufacturers.
The newly established Small Manufacturer Growth Promotion Team plans to push ahead with redesigning support systems and policies for small manufacturers, preparing tailored support measures by industry, and advancing the smartization of manufacturing sites.
Lee Byeong-gweon, second vice minister of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS), said, "Small manufacturers are the mainstay of regional manufacturing and key actors sustaining the industrial ecosystem," adding, "With the launch of this dedicated organization, we will keep a closer watch on small manufacturers on the ground and do our best to ensure that their difficulties lead to policy."