49 commendations presented to contributors to public procurement development; agency pledges fair, safe procurement market
A ceremony honoring contributors to public procurement development and reaffirming a commitment to building a fair and safe procurement market was held Wednesday to mark Procurement Day.
The 6th Procurement Day ceremony took place at the Daejeon Convention Center, with senior government and National Assembly officials, procurement companies, client agencies and related organizations in attendance.
Procurement Day is a statutory commemorative day established in 2020 to raise public awareness of the importance of public procurement and promote its continued development. Sept. 30 was designated as the date to mark the launch of Narajangteo, the government's online procurement platform.
This year's ceremony was held under the theme "A Stepping Stone for Business, a Pillar of the Economy, a Milestone for the Future." The program included a commemorative video screening, keynote address, congratulatory remarks and a celebratory performance, followed by the presentation of government commendations and agency citations to contributors to public procurement, and a group photo.
Twelve government commendations were presented to institutions, companies and individuals who contributed to innovative product procurement and exports, government property management and quality control — including six presidential citations and six prime ministerial citations. An additional 17 citations from the deputy prime minister and minister of economy and finance were awarded to those who contributed to innovative product purchasing, military supplies procurement, Narajangteo management, digital service utilization, and national property and government asset management.
The commissioner of the Public Procurement Service presented 20 additional citations to those who contributed to the spread of innovative products, entry into overseas procurement markets, investigation of unfair procurement practices, construction site safety management, and improvements to stockpile management and procurement quality. A total of 49 government commendations and agency citations were presented at the ceremony.
The Public Procurement Service strategically deploys its annual public purchasing power of 238 trillion won ($175 billion) to support the growth of innovative companies, and actively helps products in future strategic industries — including AI, robotics, biotech and climate technology — enter the public market and expand overseas.
Alongside this, the agency is applying AI across its procurement operations to improve convenience for companies and client agencies, while also working to expand regional firms' access to the procurement market, stamp out unfair procurement practices, strengthen safety and quality management, and stabilize supply chains through the stockpiling of key raw materials.
"Today's public procurement system, trusted by the public, was built through the dedication of procurement companies, client agencies and all procurement stakeholders who fulfilled their responsibilities on the ground under difficult conditions," Public Procurement Service Commissioner Baek Seung-bo said. "We will continue to drive innovation in procurement services by reflecting the voices from the field, so that public procurement becomes a stepping stone helping businesses take on new challenges, a pillar protecting the economy and people's livelihoods, and a milestone illuminating the future of the Republic of Korea."
kwonhl@heraldcorp.com
