Outgoing SME federation head Kim Ki-mun names ability and harmony as key for successor
In short
Kim Ki-mun, who has led the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business (중소기업중앙회) for 16 years, said at a press briefing in Jeju that his successor needs work ability and the capacity to unite members. He ruled out returning to work at the federation after leaving. The 28th president will be chosen on 2 February next year.
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Kim Ki-mun, who has led the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business (중소기업중앙회) for 16 years, said the most important qualities for his successor are work ability and the capacity to unite people. Speaking at a press briefing at Lotte Hotel Jeju during the federation's SME Leaders Forum, he said the next president must be able to push policy improvements for small firms and bring together business owners from different sectors and regions. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Kim said candidates could be judged on management ability, such as whether they built their business themselves and how much they exported. He added that character matters, in particular whether a person can lead the organisation while working in harmony with many people. He also said the post is not as attractive as some may think: it is non-executive, and apart from personnel decisions it carries little authority. He said he still starts work at 6 a.m. with calls to executives. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Asked about running again, Kim ruled it out. He said he told staff that he might come to the federation to visit but would not return to work, and that the job was too hard. Yonhap added that he cannot stand in the election because the president may serve only one extended term, and he served the 26th and 27th terms. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
On the election, Yonhap reported that the 28th president will be chosen on 2 February next year under the Small and Medium Business Cooperatives Act by about 600 voters, including cooperative chairpersons. The formal notice is due on 11 December, candidate registration is on 1 and 2 January and campaigning runs from 3 January until the day before the vote. Kim said the campaign period was lengthened by ten days and the vote brought forward to allow a handover, adding that the articles of association allowed no more and that the election is fixed by law. Korea Economic Daily said the winner will begin a four-year term on 1 March, after Kim's term ends on 27 February. [ 2 , 3 ]
Yonhap also reported that Kim had recommended that leading candidates stay away from the forum, which raised questions of fairness. He said there is no advance registration, so any handshake, phone call or visit to a participant's lodging at the forum would count as early campaigning. He said the federation's board interviewed the candidates individually and all agreed to skip the event. [ 2 ]
Kim listed delivery-price issues, tax changes for business succession and the exclusion of collusion rules for cooperatives' joint projects among his achievements, according to Seoul Economic Daily. Korea Economic Daily quoted him as saying that if the delivery-price linkage system, the succession bill and the cooperative consultation request right are completed in the current National Assembly, all three policy goals will be done. He also called for small manufacturers to use physical AI to work around the clock, and said about 10 cooperatives would work next year with the Ministry of SMEs and Startups on industry data standards. Seoul Economic Daily noted he is the longest-serving of the current heads of the five economic groups. [ 1 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The federation's presidential election is set for 2 February next year, and the outgoing president's comments on the qualities he wants in a successor and on pre-election campaigning come ahead of it. Outlets also reported his call for small manufacturers to adopt physical AI.
Key facts
- Kim Ki-mun, president of the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business (중소기업중앙회), held a press briefing at Lotte Hotel Jeju during the federation's SME Leaders Forum. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Kim said the next president should have work ability and the character to lead the organisation in harmony with many people. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Kim said he will not return to work at the federation after retiring: he may come to visit, but not to work. [ 1 , 3 ]
- The 28th president will be elected on 2 February next year; the term of the current president runs to 27 February and the winner starts a four-year term on 1 March. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Kim said he asked leading candidates to skip the forum because campaigning there would count as early campaigning, and that they agreed. [ 2 ]
- Kim urged small and medium-sized firms to adopt physical AI, and said that next year about 10 cooperatives will work with the Ministry of SMEs and Startups on standardising industry data for AI use. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Kim Ki-mun has led the federation for 16 years and will leave in February next year. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Kim named work ability and harmony as the main qualities for his successor, and said he would not come back to work at the federation. [ 1 , 3 ]
- The 28th federation president will be elected on 2 February next year. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Kim said he still starts his working day with calls to executives from 6 a.m. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Kim stressed the need for small and medium-sized firms to move to AI, including physical AI. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- The date of the press briefing. Two outlets say Kim spoke on the 22nd, while Yonhap says the briefing was held the previous day at Lotte Hotel Jeju yet also dates his remarks to the 22nd.
- Whether the leading candidates' absence from the forum raised fairness concerns beyond Kim's own account. Only Yonhap reports the fairness controversy and Kim's account that the candidates agreed to stay away; no candidate is quoted.