[MK NEWS] Minister Han Sung-sook, who found a K-beauty forward base,  “We will promptly provide export companies with information on regulations in each country.”

On the 6th, Minister Han Sung-sook of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups visited the Silicon2 logistics center in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, and spoke with Son In-ho, Vice CEO of Silicon2. 

"The ability to respond quickly to market changes is what gives export-oriented small and medium-sized enterprises their competitive edge.We will start by reviewing the regulatory landscape of each country and explore ways to provide the necessary support for the sector."

Minister Han Sung-sook of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups visited an export outpost for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and pledged support for customs policies. According to the Ministry of SMEs and Startups on the 6th, Minister Han visited the Silicon2 logistics center in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, that day to conduct her second policy field tour. The policy field tour is an on-site meeting that Minister Han launched after taking office, designed to visit sites closely linked to the ministry’s key policies and reflect voices from the field in policymaking. The Ministry of SMEs and Startups plans to conduct ten tours each for its three target groups: small business owners, SMEs, and startup ventures.

The SME industry has voiced concerns about the difficulty of adapting to changes in the export environment compared to last year, such as the imposition of product tariffs and reciprocal tariffs. Jang Chae-min, CEO of Brahms Health, lamented, “We spent two years collaborating with a global company to develop products for export to the U.S., but the project was recently halted due to U.S. tariff issues.”

Ahn Kyu-hee, Director of the Technology Research Institute at Taejung Machinery, an auto parts manufacturer, said, “It would be beneficial to reinstate the system that provides reductions when export-oriented SMEs purchase raw materials for exports. Additionally, giving extra points to export companies in government R&D projects and implementing priority support programs to help SMEs struggling with labor shortages transition to AI-based smart factories would be helpful.”

After the meeting, Minister Han toured the logistics center with Silicon2 officials, where cosmetics picking and packing were underway. Son In-ho, Vice CEO of Silicon2, said, “The competitiveness of K-beauty ultimately lies in good quality and price, and as an intermediary distributor, we are making every effort internally to minimize price increases for U.S. consumers even after the imposition of a 15% tariff."

In response, Minister Han said, “I believe the ability to respond quickly to market changes becomes a competitive edge. In the EU, which places strong emphasis on environmental issues, regulations on packaging and materials are changing, and each country has different regulatory conditions. The government will take the lead in studying these regulations and find ways to provide the necessary support to the industry.”

Minister Han said, “Despite the challenging external environment, SME exports in the first half of this year grew compared to the previous year, but there are certainly difficulties on the ground that are not reflected in statistics and figures. Going forward, we will mobilize all available channels, including associations and organizations, to provide customs information in a timely manner and develop measures to promote online exports, thereby supporting the growth of SMEs through exports.”

On the 6th in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, Minister Han Sung-sook of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups poses for a commemorative photo with SME representatives participating in the 2nd SME Policy Field Tour.