Startup Forum
The Korea Start-Up Forum, a loosely organized consultative group of domestic start-ups, has transformed itself into a corporate body to make more systematic efforts to improve the business environment for its member firms.
The forum has championed the needs and rights of start-ups since its establishment in September 2016. It now has more than 230 start-ups as members.
Transforming into a corporate body, the forum officially registered with the Ministry of SMEs and Startups in order to amplify its voice in improving regulations on start-ups.
The forum marked its transformation with a ceremony at the National Assembly on April 2. The forum’s leaders, including chairman Kim Bong-jin and president Choi Sung-jin, attended the event, along with others who were involved in founding the forum and creating an ecosystem for start-ups.
They encouraged one another through congratulatory video clips, emphasizing unity and joint efforts to get their voices heard. One member set the tone of the event by saying, "Let's stand together with members of the Korea Start-Up Forum, who are closer to each other than to their own family members."
"Ten start-ups are joining the forum every week," Choi said. "I will work hard to increase the membership to 1,000 start-ups next year and 2,000 the year after next."
"If start-ups grow successfully, Korea’s economic structure will improve and many decent jobs will be created by Korean versions of Amazon, Google, Facebook, Tencent and Alibaba," chairman Kim said. He pledged efforts toward a growing start-up sector and a society where losers can get a second chance.
Seok Jong-hoon, head of the Office of Venture Start-Up Innovation at the Ministry of SMEs and Start-ups, made a presentation on a plan to create business foundation ecosystems. Lawmaker Kim Soo-min introduced the National Assembly’s campaign to reform regulations concerning start-ups.