The 31st APEC Small and Medium Enterprises Ministerial Meeting

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS, Minister HAN Seongsook) announced that on Monday, August 4, 2025, it held a comprehensive coordination meeting with relevant organizations and associations to form the “One Team for the APEC Small and Medium Enterprises Ministerial Meeting (hereinafter referred to as the SMEMM)*” to ensure the successful hosting of the 2025 APEC SMEMM.

* As one of the sectoral ministerial meetings of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the APEC SMEMM has been held annually since 1994 to discuss issues concerning SMEs, startups, and micro enterprises within the APEC region.

The SMEMM is an official event held ahead of the APEC summit scheduled to take place this October in Gyeongju. It serves as a forum for member economies to discuss policy cooperation on pressing challenges faced by SMEs, such as climate change and population decline.

In addition, the SMEMM goes beyond a simple international conference; it serves as a crucial platform for Korean SMEs to expand their global networks through cooperation with APEC member economies.

This year’s SMEMM will include not only official events such as working-level meetings, but also ten diverse side and affiliated events, including the K-Shopping Festa.

In particular, on September 3?4, events such as the K-Startup Challenge Opening Ceremony, the Grand Challenge Showcase, and the Global Venture Investment Summit are expected to serve as networking platforms where domestic and international stakeholders from the startup and venture ecosystems come together for exchange and cooperation.

Minister HAN Seongsook has recognized the international stature and strategic significance of the upcoming APEC SMEMM since her candidacy. With one month remaining before the event, she presided over the comprehensive coordination meeting to personally review the preparations.

MSS has established a dedicated task force and has been conducting detailed reviews of the event’s overall operations through meetings with relevant organizations and working-level staff. During this comprehensive coordination meeting, MSS thoroughly re-examined all aspects of the event, including: (1) international conference venue setup, (2) accommodation facilities, (3) transportation measures, (4) publicity, (5) protocol, and (6) personnel support.

As a result of the review, areas for improvement were identified in certain aspects such as venue flow, and MSS plans to address these issues during the remaining preparation period.

Minister HAN emphasized, “The APEC SMEMM is an opportunity to elevate the standing of Korea’s SME policies within the APEC region and a vital stage to showcase the innovation and global competitiveness of our SMEs to the world.”

She added, “In Jeju, a place where pristine nature, cutting-edge industries, and competitive local micro enterprises coexist, we will showcase and promote K-food, K-beauty, and K-tech. We will also prepare the ‘three key attractions’ (food, entertainment, and sights) to ensure the successful hosting of the APEC SMEMM and will do our utmost to make it a success.”

(Source) https://mss.go.kr/site/eng/ex/bbs/View.do?cbIdx=244&bcIdx=1060821