Pres. Moon says most pressing issue is job creation; calls on SMEs and venture firm leaders for their role

문 대통령 "일자리가 가장 시급; 중소, 벤처기업이 경제에 활력 줘야"President Moon Jae-in met with leaders of small and mid sized firms along with venture business owners today.During their talks, the South Korean leader emphasized job creation is the most pressing issue the country faces, and called on the participants to do their part in helping to revitalize the economy.Shin Se-min has the highlights from that session. President Moon Jae-in is focused this year on revitalizing the country's economy, which has been stuck in a rut of slow growth.Speaking Monday to 200 leaders of small and mid-sized businesses,... the president promised his support,... calling SMEs the driving force of the administration's people-centered economy."The most pressing issue is the creation of jobs. This could be solved by more hiring by small and medium-sized businesses, which account for more than 80 percent of total employment."President Moon guaranteed total government backing so that the business leaders can feel the changes themselves.He promised spending this year worth 17-point-8 billion U.S. dollars to fund R&D for SMEs and venture firms.President Moon said 4-thousand additional smart factories will be made this year, which will go towards the goal of 30-thousand smart factories by 2020, and called on SMEs to do their part to create more investment opportunities.The president also said that adding innovative startups and SMEs, little by little, will eventually help breathe life into the economy and make it more resilient.The president's promises are in line with his New Year pledge to improve the country's economy,... which he has emphasized multiple times.He had a New Year's event for the first time at the Korea Federation for SMEs, speaking to companies both big and small... in the hope of getting them to make more investments.The president is scheduled to attend a similar meeting sometime next week with the country's leading conglomerates and mid-sized firms,… as well as a separate meeting soon with small businesses and the self-employed. Shin Se-min, Arirang News.