Yoo Joo-ho, acting president and Minister of Education, said on the 23rd, “We will strengthen customized support to alleviate the management burden of small and medium enterprises and small business owners.”
Acting President Yoo attended the '2025 Korea Small Business Conference' held at the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Enterprises in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, on that morning, and noted, “Small business owners are the pillars of the Korean economy, serving as key players in job creation and the driving force behind growth.”
Acting President Yoo stated, “The domestic and external environment facing South Korea is challenging due to various complex issues that need to be addressed,” adding, “Major countries around the world are enhancing protectionism, and the global economy is facing new challenges due to the restructuring of trade order and global supply chains.”
He continued, “Economically, the slowdown in export growth and delays in domestic recovery are dampening corporations' investment sentiment,” and noted, “This multifaceted crisis is likely to affect you here more than anyone else, and most significantly.”
Acting President Yoo emphasized, “The government is listening to the voices of small business owners and will run alongside you,” further stating, “We are ensuring thoroughness in trade negotiations under a one-team approach and are actively responding to tariff damages and import-export risks.”
He added, “We will also quickly execute this supplementary budget to infuse warmth into the livelihoods of the people and put forth our utmost effort,” and said, “We will continue to strengthen customized support centered around the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises and Startups.”
Moreover, Acting President Yoo remarked, “Thanks to the dedication and efforts of small business owners, we have risen to become one of the world's top 10 major economies,” and stated, “The government will be a reliable partner to ensure our corporations can lead the global market based on technology and creativity.”