73.3% of domestic small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) cited 'economic growth leadership' as a necessary ability for the next president.
The Korea Federation of Small and Medium Enterprises announced the results of a survey titled 'What We Expect from the 21st President, Opinions of the Small and Medium-Sized Business Community,' conducted on 604 small and medium-sized enterprises and small business owners from July 21 to 25.
According to the survey results, 75.7% of responding companies identified 'economic growth leadership' as the key ability and condition for the next president, highlighting the importance of capability in the economic sector as a presidential qualification. 'Communication ability (33.8%),' 'social integration ability (21.9%),' 'morality and integrity (18.9%),' and 'diplomatic ability (17.5%)' followed.
Furthermore, the most important direction for national policy that the next president should take was 'revitalization of domestic demand and stabilization of people's lives (48%),' followed by 'labor reform and job creation (45.7%),' 'overcoming population crises such as low birth rates and aging (36.6%),' 'corporate innovation and deregulation (24.5%),' and 'mitigation of regional imbalances (19.2%).
The key policy tasks for the next president to prioritize regarding small and medium-sized enterprises and small business owners are ▲ 'support for youth employment' in sustainable job creation ▲ 'expanding financial support and activating venture investment' in securing growth engines ▲ 'nurturing specialized industries, human resources, and financial support for local small and medium-sized enterprises' in economic ecosystem circulation.
When implementing support policies for small and medium-sized enterprises and small business owners, the most important values to consider were 'growth (31.3%),' 'fairness (24%),' 'consistency (17.7%),' 'innovation (17.5%),' and 'distribution (9.4%)' in that order.
Kim Gi-mun, chairman of the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Enterprises, said, 'The small and medium business community hopes that the next president will quickly recover the stagnant economic situation caused by deepening domestic and international uncertainties.' He noted, 'I hope that revitalization of domestic demand and stabilization of people's lives will be set as the direction for national policy, and that policy tasks such as 'support for youth employment' and 'nurturing specialized industries for local small and medium-sized enterprises' will be reflected in the pledges of the next presidential candidate, enabling small businesses to overcome crises and lay the foundation for growth.'