Minister nominee Lee So-young of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups visited the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Enterprises to hear opinions and outlined a policy plan to make the role of small and startup businesses more concrete in the national growth strategy.
On the 4th, nominee Lee visited the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Enterprises in Yeouido, Seoul, held a tea talk with Korea Federation of Small and Medium Enterprises Chairman Kim Ki-moon and others, and listened to voices from the small-business field.
Meeting with reporters after the tea talk, Lee said, "I visited the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Enterprises, one of the five major business groups, and heard valuable remarks," and added, "Based on my expertise and experience, I will play a role in building the capacity of small businesses to respond to the AI transition (AX), labor regulations, ESG requirements, and international carbon trade pressures."
In particular, Lee stressed that the role of small and startup businesses should be specified more concretely in the national growth strategy pursued by the Lee Jae-myung administration.
Lee mentioned the "three mega projects" in semiconductors, AI, data centers, and physical AI; the "seven seed projects" such as SMR, nuclear fusion, renewable energy, quantum, aerospace, advanced bio, and building advanced supply chain ecosystems; and the "5-pole, 3-special growth engine strategy," assessing that "until now, the picture has been drawn around large corporations serving as anchors."
Lee went on to emphasize, "For national growth projects to go beyond the growth of a few large corporations and lead to new opportunities for all people, we need to spell out where and how small and startup businesses can play a role."
Regarding the seven seed projects, Lee said, "We should not stop at developing various new technologies such as quantum, renewable energy, and SMR. The national strategy must also add how newly developed and advanced technologies will be delivered to and utilized by small and startup businesses."
On the 5-pole, 3-special growth engine strategy, Lee said, "We must closely identify not only anchor large corporations by region and sector but also which small and startup businesses are arrayed by region and sector," adding, "It is time to ensure national strategies extend beyond industrial strategies to include strategies for corporations."
If appointed Minister, Lee intends to strengthen the role of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups so that small and startup businesses can participate substantively in these national growth strategies. Lee plans to work with each ministry to detail participation measures for small and startup businesses and the necessary support and special provisions.