Appointments for the heads of key agencies under the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, including the Small Enterprise and Market Service, Korea Technology Finance Corporation (KOTEC), and Public Home Shopping, are resuming in earnest. As agencies that had been vacant or run by acting chiefs begin open calls for their leaders one after another, the selection process is expected to wrap up as early as February next year.
Since Minister Han Seong-sook took office at the Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) in Jul., the first round of appointments for agency heads under the ministry has regained momentum, and the government's support policies for small businesses and SMEs are expected to pick up speed.
According to government circles and the small business sector on the 30th, the Small Enterprise and Market Service (SEMAS) issued a call for applications for its chair on the 28th of last month and closed document submissions on the 9th of this month. The executive recommendation committee is said to be in the process of screening documents and conducting interviews to narrow candidates to a three-person shortlist. The new chair is appointed by the president upon the recommendation of the Minister of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS). The final appointment is expected to be completed as early as February next year.
SEMAS serves as the government's execution channel for policies supporting small businesses, business closures, commercial district development, and traditional market revitalization. As the government has set strengthening support for small businesses as a key national agenda item, the next chair's role is also expected to grow.
The Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) plans to build small business data to refine policy targets and establish a system to continuously monitor small businesses in response to the "era of 1 million closures." A tailored digital support strategy aligned with industry and capabilities is also a major task. Current chair Park Seong-hyo, who took office in 2022, has remained in the post even though the term has expired, as the selection of a successor has been delayed.
Korea Technology Finance Corporation (KOTEC) has also launched the selection process for its next chair. KOTEC has been openly recruiting candidates for chair from the 23rd to Jan. 2 next year. KOTEC is a technology finance institution that improves financial access for SMEs with technological strength but insufficient collateral. The president appoints the chair upon recommendation by the executive recommendation committee and the recommendation of the Minister of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS).
Current chair Kim Jong-ho's term has ended, but the post is being held as no successor has been found. KOTEC has set "invigorating business succession through M&A" as one of its key tasks in response to the aging of SME managers and plans to pilot-build a business succession M&A platform in the first half of next year.
Public Home Shopping resumed the appointment process by issuing a recruitment notice for a CEO on the 26th. Public Home Shopping is a public institution under the Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) established to expand sales channels for innovative products of SMEs and startups and for agricultural, livestock, and fishery products.
Public Home Shopping has had its CEO seat vacant for more than a year since former CEO Jo Seong-ho's term expired in Sep. last year. The company proceeded with the CEO selection process in May but halted it due to a "parachute appointment controversy." It is currently operating under a dual acting system with Management Support Division Head Kim Young-joo and Business Division Head Lee Jong-won.
Public Home Shopping will accept document applications until Jan. 5 next year, then appoint a CEO after screening by the executive recommendation committee and a shareholders' meeting. Public Home Shopping, which posted 187 billion won in revenue and an 1.1 billion won operating loss last year, faces the task of improving profitability next year.
To improve profitability, Public Home Shopping is reviewing securing a T-commerce channel dedicated to SMEs. Public Home Shopping operates a live TV home shopping channel but does not run a T-commerce channel, which is recorded. Acting chief Kim Young-joo proposed to President Lee Jae-myung at an MSS work briefing on the 17th that "consideration is needed for Public Home Shopping in the process of selecting a new T-commerce channel."