Small and medium-sized enterprise representatives from Japan, South Korea and China held the second forum at KBIZ Hall in Seoul, aiming to establish a cooperative framework through private-sector shuttle exchanges.
The SME federations of Japan, South Korea and China jointly held the second Japan-Korea-China SME Economic Forum at KBIZ Hall in Seoul. Japan was represented by approximately 30 people, including representatives of the National Federation of Small Business Associations, while South Korea sent approximately 30 people, including the chairman of the Korean Federation of SMEs.
The forum was first held in Tokyo last year. Holding it in Seoul this year was intended to lay the groundwork for regularizing and expanding private-sector exchanges between the two countries. It was positioned as a forum for sharing management challenges and policy and operational responses.
Shim Jae-yoon, director of global growth policy, introduced SME policy and global strategies and proposed areas of cooperation that would draw on the strengths of both countries. Jose Hirak, executive vice president of Fuji Filter Korea, presented a case study of overseas expansion combining Japanese quality control with Korean productivity.
Hong Jin-heon, managing director at LG CNS, presented a model for large and small companies to coexist, centered on AI transformation. Saeki Norihiko, a division director at Japan's SME Agency, explained support measures including steps to address cost pass-through, M&A, business succession, and AI and digital transformation. Industry-specific follow-up exchanges have continued since last year, and an exchange meeting between automobile parts industry associations is scheduled for next year.