Ministry of Trade Industry and Resources

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR) announced that Minister Kim Jung-kwan delivered a keynote speech at the “CEO Forum for Mid-Sized Enterprises” hosted by the Federation of Middle Market Enterprises of Korea (FOMEK, Chairman Choi Jin-shik) on Monday, November 3, at the Grand Hyatt Seoul. The event was attended by around 100 CEOs from Korea’s mid-sized enterprises.

In his speech, titled “The New Age of Exploration,” Minister Kim stated, “Just as the invention of the compass in the 15th century ushered in the Age of Exploration that reshaped global wealth and power, it is now time for Korean companies to seize the new compass of artificial intelligence (AI) and chart new routes in the global market.” He emphasized that mid-sized enterprises—the backbone of the Korean economy and industry—must take an active role in the shift toward industrial AI transformation. In response, the mid-sized enterprise community agreed that accelerating industrial AI adoption is essential for business survival and growth.

Representatives from mid-sized enterprises also highlighted challenges in responding to rapid changes such as AI transformation, the green transition, and supply chain realignments driven by recent tariff measures. They requested stronger policy support across global expansion, technology development, finance, taxation, human resources, and regulatory reform.

In response, Minister Kim affirmed that the government will work closely with relevant ministries to provide maximum support so that mid-sized enterprises can grow into larger, globally competitive companies.