Minister Lee So Young, First Field Visit as SMEs Minister: “I Will Seek Answers in the Field”

Tea Meeting with the Federation of Merchants Associations,

Listening to Concerns at Nammun Market

Minister Lee Shares Vision on Social Media after President Lee's Appointment Approval

So Young Lee, the newly appointed Minister of SMEs and Startups, began her field activities after taking office by visiting a traditional market. She discussed measures to revitalize traditional markets and listened to on-site challenges and concerns. Following her official appointment the previous day, she also shared on social media her ambition to seek answers at the local level and to break away from convention.

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced that on the 23rd, Minister Lee visited the Federation of Merchants Associations and Suwon Nammun Market in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, to hear directly from merchants.

Suwon Nammun Market, selected for the ‘2025 Ministry of SMEs and Startups Centennial Market Development Project,’ is a leading traditional market in the region. Nearby markets such as Yeongdong Market and Motgol Market have joined together to form one business community.

Minister Lee first visited the Federation of Merchants Associations' office in Yeongdong Market, where she held a tea meeting with the leadership and heads of merchants’ associations, discussing ways to restore the people’s economy and strengthen the competitiveness of traditional markets.

During this meeting, Minister Lee pledged to swiftly establish a plan for reforming the Onnuri Gift Certificate system to expand benefits for traditional markets. She also stated that, in order to bolster disaster response capacities in traditional markets, the government would develop tailored support systems for different types of disasters and enhance facility and equipment support.

So-Young Lee, Minister of SMEs and Startups, is visiting Motgol Market in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province on the 23rd, meeting with merchants. Ministry of SMEs and Startups

She then moved to Motgol Market, where she checked staple product and consumer price trends, purchased goods herself, and listened to the difficulties faced by merchants. The items purchased on this day will be delivered to vulnerable groups in the region.

Minister Lee remarked, “It is deeply meaningful to make my first visit as minister to a traditional market and listen directly to the voices from the field. Going forward, we will strengthen on-site, practical support so that traditional markets can become vital hubs driving not just daily life for local residents, but also the local economy.”

The National Assembly’s Trade, Industry, Energy, SMEs and Startups Committee previously adopted the confirmation hearing progress report for Minister Lee by bipartisan agreement the previous day. Subsequently, President Lee Jaemyung, who is visiting the United States to attend the UN General Assembly, approved the appointment, and Minister Lee officially began her work.

Immediately after her appointment, Minister Lee expressed via social media, “I will seek answers on what needs to be done directly in the field.” She added, “If necessary, I will break the mold and work dynamically, striving to become a minister who breaks away from inertia rather than one who simply follows it.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.