KCCI Hosts New Year's
Greeting Gathering

Some 1,000 participants pledge to accomplish New Year's plans during 2007

The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) organized a New Year's greeting session at COEX Grand Ballroom on January 4th with about 1,000 attendees, including leaders from government, economic and other walks of life as well as foreign company representatives. During the gathering, participants exchanged New Year's greetings with each other and vowed to accomplish New Year's plans and ambitions with a new pride and determination based on what Korea has achieved in the so-called Miracle of the Han River.
KCCI Chairman Sohn Kyung-shik said in his speech, "Korea is expected to take a step closer to the ranks of advanced countries with the per capita national income likely to rise from $10,000 to $20.000 this year, but the nation has to expand growth potential in a bid to raise the per capital national income to $30,000 and join the full-fledged group of advanced countries." "To this end, our companies should revive their past's
brave entrepreneurship ― creation of something from naught ― while the government should dramatically deregulate restrictions, more aggressively protect corporate activities and create an business-friendly environment by offering assistance and encouragement to companies,"he noted.
In her speech, Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook touched on such issues as job creation, saying that the newly created jobs numbered about 300,000 in the first 11 months of the year, 50,000 shy of the government target. The prime minister said her government will strive to find solutions to create more jobs, but this problem cannot be solved solely by the government or corporation, so government, corporation and university can make it possible to develop manpower tailored to corporate needs if they join forces.
The prime minister appealed for businessmen to play positive roles in the development of the future of next generations, saying that Korea has reached a stage of low-birth rate and aging population as the elderly have surpassed the 7 percent mark,
the speediest pace in the world and Korea has witnessed the lowest birth rate among OECD countries. She urged businessmen to take the lead in creating an environment that can accommodate work and home simultaneously.
Prime Minister Han has established a new framework for supporting SMEs with an emphasis on competition and innovation, departing from the previous policies ― protection and nourishment.
The government is striving to raise the number of innovative SMEs to 30,000, an equivalent to 10 percent of 300,000 SMEs, while providing support for helping SMEs in the marginal business areas change their types of businesses. Han noted that the government will renovate a financial support system for SMEs the way businessmen armed with technology and innovative mindset do business despite a shortage of money, while SME businessmen are asked to react with innovative determination and actions.
On hand at the gathering were Uri Party Chairman Kim Keun-tae,; Vice National Speaker Lee Sang-deuk,; BAI Chairman Jeon Yun-churl,; DPM-Minister of Finance and Economy Kwon Oh-kyu,; MOCIE Vice Minister Kim Jong-kap and other senior government officials,; KCCI Chairman Sohn and other heads of economic organizations,; Kumho-Asiana Group Chairman Park Sam-koo,; POSCO Chairman Lee Ku-taek,; SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won,; Samsung Vice Chairman Lee Yoon-woo,; Hyundai Motor Vice Chairman Kim Dong-jin,; LG International Vice Chairman Koo Bon-joon, and Ambassador Alfredo F. Ungo of El Salvadore, concurrently dead of the Seoul Diplomatic Corps, and British Amb. Warwick Morris. nw

(from left photo) KCCI Chairman Sohn Kyung-shik; Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook speaks during a New Year's greeting session organized by KCCI on Jan. 4,; Prime Minister Han shakes hands with participants, including KCCI Chairman Sohn.