About 400 SME businesspeople gather in Jeju as the 'Small Business Leaders Forum' gets under way

[Financial News] The Small Business Leaders Forum, which brings together hundreds of SME businesspeople from across the country, gets under way in Jeju. With the large-scale event taking place about 100 days before the election for chair of the Korea Federation of SMEs (KBIZ)—a position dubbed the “president of the SME sector”—behind-the-scenes maneuvering over the candidates’ support bases and the shape of the race is also expected to intensify.

According to the Korea Federation of SMEs (KBIZ) on the 19th, the 2026 Small Business Leaders Forum will be held in Jeju from the 20th to the 23rd, over four days and three nights.
Now in its 19th edition, the Small Business Leaders Forum is a venue for SME executives to discuss changes in the business environment and current policy issues, and to share the experience and knowledge of experts from various fields. Around 400 SME representatives from different industries and regions across the country are expected to attend this year’s event as well.
This year’s forum will be held under the theme “Together with SMEs, toward becoming one of the world’s top three AI powers.” The aim is to connect SME innovation and growth with efforts to strengthen the nation’s AI competitiveness amid the major transformation brought by AI.
The speakers will include novelist Kim Hong-shin; Father Hwang Chang-yeon of St. Philip’s Ecological Village; Park Yong-woo, director of the Obesity Clinic at Kangbuk Samsung Hospital; and Chungbuk Governor Shin Yong-han.
In particular, at the “SME Innovation Strategies in the Age of Physical AI” discussion, experts from the public, private and academic sectors are expected to discuss ways for SMEs to use AI and strengthen their competitiveness, alongside a keynote address by Park Young-sun, chair of the Strategic Economic Advisory Group at the Ministry of Finance and Economy.
KBIZ Chairman Ki-Moon Kim said, “Now marking its 19th edition, the Small Business Leaders Forum has established itself as a leading forum in Korea, responding to rapidly changing issues of the times and seeking solutions.” He added, “We have prepared a diverse range of lectures and programs, and I hope the CEOs attending will take away insights to help them prepare for the future, along with memories of beautiful autumn in Jeju.”

The industry is watching closely, as the event will bring together a large number of SME leaders ahead of next year’s February 2 election for the next KBIZ chair. With the election about 100 days away, candidates have begun jockeying behind the scenes, and some observers believe the event could effectively serve as a pre-election skirmish.
Five people are being mentioned in industry circles as potential candidates for the next chair: four vice chairmen and one cooperative chairman.
They include Vice Chairman Kang Dong-han, chairman of the Forging Industry Cooperative; Vice Chairman Park Jang-seon, chair of the Printing Cooperative Federation; Vice Chairman Shim Seung-il, chair of the Federation of High-Pressure Gas Industry Cooperatives; Lee Min-hyeong, chairman of the Jungbu Concrete Pipe Business Cooperative; and Vice Chairman Lee Jae-gwang, chairman of the Korea Electric Energy Industry Cooperative.
Vice Chairman Kang has served five terms as chairman of the Forging Industry Cooperative, with each term lasting four years, and currently heads KBIZ’s Global Support Committee. His hands-on experience in foundational industries, gained from running a forging company, is seen as a strength.
Vice Chairman Shim has spent more than 30 years in the industrial gas sector, building a strong understanding of manufacturing operations. He served four consecutive terms as chair of the Korea High-Pressure Gas Industry Cooperative, and has also headed the Council of Presidents of the National Federation of SME Cooperatives and served as KBIZ’s Incheon regional chair.
Vice Chairman Lee Jae-gwang is making his third bid for the federation chairmanship. He has built a strong base in the industry, having served five terms as chairman of the Electric Energy Industry Cooperative. He currently heads KBIZ’s Labor and Workforce Committee, where he deals with key labor issues facing SMEs, including the 52-hour workweek and the minimum wage.
Vice Chairman Park is seeking the federation chairmanship, drawing on his hands-on experience in the printing industry. He runs a printing company specializing in merchandise and chairs both the Printing Cooperative Federation and KBIZ’s Culture and Content Promotion Committee.
Chairman Lee Min-hyeong previously headed the Korea Asphalt Concrete Cooperative Federation and served as a vice chairman during Park Seong-taek’s tenure as KBIZ’s 25th chair.
The candidates, however, have decided not to attend the event. KBIZ’s Election Management Committee, concerned that the election could become overheated, asked them to refrain from attending.
[email protected] Lee Ju-mi Reporter