[Korea Federation of SMEs]
[Korea Federation of SMEs]

Korea Federation of SMEs hosts 2nd Korea-Japan SME Economic Forum

Second forum held in Seoul following last year's Tokyo debut; private-sector shuttle exchanges to be regularized

Ready-mixed concrete and auto parts sectors expand industry-level ties; Japan shares M&A, business succession policies

More than 60 small and medium-sized enterprise leaders from South Korea and Japan convened in Seoul on Wednesday to discuss shared challenges including AI adoption, global supply chains, and corporate mergers, acquisitions and business succession. The gathering marked the second edition of a forum that began in Tokyo last year, with growing attention on expanding industry-level cooperation between the two countries.

The Korea Federation of SMEs said it co-hosted the 2nd Korea-Japan SME Economic Forum with Japan's National Federation of Small Business Associations at the KBIZ Hall in Yeouido, Seoul.

The South Korean delegation of about 30 included Korea Federation of SMEs Chairman Kim Ki-moon, Ministry of SMEs and Startups Vice Minister Noh Yong-seok, and heads of industry-specific SME associations. The Japanese side also sent about 30 participants, led by National Federation of Small Business Associations Chairman Mori Hiroshi, along with Minister Chujo Kazuo of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul and regional SME association heads and business leaders.

The two sides held their first forum in Tokyo last year and convened the second in Seoul this year. The intent is to institutionalize a regular "shuttle exchange" between the two countries at the level of private-sector business organizations, mirroring the summit-level diplomatic exchanges between the two governments.

Industry-level follow-up exchanges have continued since last year's forum. The ready-mixed concrete sectors of both countries held a meeting in April, and the auto parts industries plan to hold an inter-association exchange in 2027. The bilateral meetings between the two countries' leading SME organizations are increasingly spawning cooperation talks at the individual industry level.

This year's forum centered on shared challenges facing SMEs in both countries, with AI and digital transformation, global market expansion, and business succession topping the agenda.

Shim Jae-yoon, director general for global growth policy at the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, introduced South Korea's SME policies and global growth strategies and proposed areas of cooperation that could leverage the strengths of both countries.

Fuse Hiraku, vice president of Fuji Filter Korea, presented a case study on the global expansion of a Korea-Japan joint venture. Fuji Filter Korea, which manufactures filters for oil, gas and petrochemical plants, was highlighted as an example of combining Japan's quality-control expertise with South Korea's production competitiveness.

Hong Jin-heon, executive director at LG CNS, drew on AI transformation cases involving small and medium-sized enterprises to propose a business model for cooperation between large corporations and SMEs. The session explored ways to apply AI and digital technology to boost productivity and create new business opportunities.

On the Japanese side, Saeki Norihiko, a division chief at Japan's Small and Medium Enterprise Agency, outlined Japanese SME policies covering price pass-through measures, M&A and business succession, and AI and digital transformation. Business succession received particular attention as a policy area addressing the aging of business owners and the difficulty of securing successors — an agenda item where the two countries could share relevant systems and experiences.

Japanese Vice Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Miyamoto Shuji and House of Representatives lawmaker Yamagiwa Daishiro delivered video congratulatory remarks expressing hope for expanded exchanges and stronger economic cooperation between SMEs in both countries.

"The forum that started in Tokyo last year has now come to Seoul, and industry-level exchanges and cooperation are expanding as a result," Korea Federation of SMEs Chairman Kim Ki-moon said. "We will continue to build a platform where SMEs from both countries can create new opportunities for cooperation by drawing on their technologies, experiences and networks."


hong@heraldcorp.com