"Innovative women entrepreneurs keenly capture everyday inconveniences and the currents of the times, and solve those problems with technology such as AI. Today we confirm the strength of Korea's women-led businesses and move toward a bigger future."
With an opening address by Park Chang-suk, president of the Korean Women Entrepreneurs Association, the 5th Women Entrepreneurs Week kicked off on the 1st at the Shilla Hotel in Seoul.
Marking its fifth year, Women Entrepreneurs Week is the nation's largest festival and statutory event for women entrepreneurs who have contributed to national economic development. Hosted by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups and co-organized by five major women's economic groups—the Korean Women Entrepreneurs Association, the Korea Women's Venture Association, the Korea Women Inventors Association, the Korea IT Women Entrepreneurs Association and the Korean Federation of Women's Science and Technology Associations.
Held under the slogan "Women-led businesses that grow with technology and connect with sensibility," the opening ceremony brought together more than 500 people, including women business leaders nationwide; the Ministry of SMEs and Startups and related organizations for women-led businesses; officials from small and midsize enterprise associations and groups; and key figures from politics and business, who reaffirmed the commitment to innovation and growth of women-led businesses.
From the National Assembly, National Assembly Speaker Cho Jeong-sik; Deputy Speaker Nam In-soon; and lawmakers Na Kyung-won, Lee In-seon, Oh Se-hee, Park Sung-joon and Park Soo-young attended, while from the government, Lee Byeong-gweon, second vice minister of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS); Lee Dal-gon, chairperson of the Korea Commission for Corporate Partnership; and Kim Jin-oh, vice chairperson of the Presidential Committee on Ageing Society and Population Policy, were present.
From the business community, Samsung Electronics President Park Seung-hee attended. Samsung Electronics, as a large-enterprise member company of the Korea Commission for Corporate Partnership, has been running a variety of win-win programs, including support for building smart factories centered on its partners. With Park attending the Women Entrepreneurs Week event, attention is on whether Samsung Electronics will use its existing win-win programs to broaden collaboration with women-led businesses and strengthen the co-prosperity ecosystem.
The highlight of the opening ceremony was special speeches by women entrepreneurs who pioneered new markets with innovative technologies such as AI.
Shin Hyun-jin, CEO of HudsonAI, an AI-based multilingual dubbing solution company, presented cases of expanding K-content globally using AI dubbing technology and explained technological innovation that breaks down the language barrier in the content industry. Kim Hyo-yi, CEO of the femtech company Innersia, introduced how the company developed sanitary pads using a plant-based patented absorbent and achieved annual sales of 19.4 billion won just three years after its founding, emphasizing that women's experiences can become new opportunities in future industries such as femtech.
The government also presented awards to exemplary women entrepreneurs. Kim Yeon-seon, CEO of Daehan OK Steel, received the Order of Industrial Service Merit, Gold Tower, and Nam Mi-kyung, CEO of Hanmandu Foods, an agricultural corporation, received the Order of Industrial Service Merit, Silver Tower.
CEO Kim Yeon-seon was recognized for 47 years in the steel industry, expanding regional manufacturing bases in Dangjin, South Chungcheong Province, and Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province, based on expertise in the manufacture and distribution of cold-rolled steel products, and contributing to the creation of quality jobs. CEO Nam Mi-kyung was highly evaluated for creating new demand in the frozen dumpling market with differentiated products such as galbi dumplings and webfoot octopus dumplings and for fostering a family-friendly corporate culture.
Lee Byeong-gweon, second vice minister of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS), said, "The more advanced technology becomes, the more the ability to read others' emotions delicately and communicate will become the ultimate competitiveness of corporations," adding, "We will listen closely to voices on the ground and provide strong support so that women entrepreneurs with excellent technological prowess and empathetic leadership can lead new trends and realize their dreams."
Meanwhile, the 5th Women Entrepreneurs Week will feature, starting with the opening ceremony, a policy forum, an awards ceremony for the women's startup competition, and a merchandising director counseling session to strengthen sales channels for women-led businesses over the course of a week. In addition, throughout July, an online joint recruitment center for women-led businesses and an online co-prosperity special exhibition of outstanding products from women-led businesses will be operated, and commemorative events for Women Entrepreneurs Week will continue in each region.