[사건의내막 / 문홍철 기자] = 윤석열 대통령은 31일 오전 일산 킨텍스에서 개최된 ‘2024 대한민국 소상공인대회’에 참석했다.
작년 역대 대통령 최초로 참석한 데 이어, 올해로 19년째를 맞은 대한민국 소상공인대회에 2년 연속 참석해 소상공인에 대한 각별한 애정과 관심을 표명했다.
행사는 외식업, 양복업 등 다양한 업종의 소상공인 4000여 명이 참석해 역대 최대 규모로 진행됐다.
먼저, 대통령은 개막식에 앞서 한국맞춤양복협회 등이 운영하는 업종별 부스를 참관하고 소상공인대회 기간 중 진행될 소상공인 기능경진대회 참가자들을 응원했다.
이후 개막식에 참석해 소상공인 성장과 발전에 기여한 서용필 듀팡과자점 대표(은탑 산업훈장), 김대래 엘림커피 대표(철탑 산업훈장) 등 6명에게 훈·포장 및 표창을 직접 수여하고 격려했다.
대통령은 격려사를 통해 소상공인들이 민생과 지역경제의 근간이자 우리 경제의 버팀목이라고 강조하면서 하루빨리 경기회복의 온기를 체감하실 수 있도록 내년도 소상공인 전용 예산을 역대 최대인 5조 9000억 원 규모로 편성했다고 강조했다.
또한, 정부와 은행이 협업해 내년에는 올해보다 2조 원 늘어난 14조 원의 신규 보증부 대출을 공급하고, 전환보증 대출 규모도 2배로 대폭 늘린 10조 원을 공급해 소상공인분들의 금융 부담 완화에 더욱 힘을 쏟을 것을 약속했다.
대통령은 영세 소상공인과 관련해서도, 90만 명의 영세 소상공인에게 20만 원의 전기요금을 이미 지원하고 있는 것에 더해 추가로 5만 원을 더 지원하고(총 25만 원), 내년에는 68만 명에게 2000억 원 규모의 배달비도 신규 지원할 계획이라고 강조했다.
아울러 전통시장 및 소상공인 점포를 비롯해 전국 20여만 개 가맹점에서 사용가능한 온누리상품권이 지난 추석 전후 한 달간 작년에 비해 3배 이상 증가한 1조 4000억 원 규모로 판매됐다고 말했다.
대통령은 올해 전체로 보면 역대 최고치인 4조 2000억 원이 판매될 것이라면서, 내년에도 판매량을 더욱 확대하겠다고 밝혔다.
나아가 오늘 행사에 참석한 소상공인들을 향해 대한민국 경제의 힘은 바로 여러분에게서 나온다고 하고, 대통령과 정부의 모든 부처가 원팀이 되어 소상공인 여러분을 힘껏 돕겠다고 약속하며 격려사를 마무리했다.
대통령은 무대에 오른 소상공인 대표들과 함께 점포 모양의 터치버튼을 힘차게 눌러 점등하며 소상공인대회의 개막을 축하했다.
동시에 오늘 행사에 참석한 4000여 명의 참석자들은 ‘소상공인이 살아야’, ‘대한민국이 웃는다!’는 대회 슬로건이 적힌 수건을 펼친 뒤, 다 같이 힘찬 박수로 퍼포먼스를 마무리했다.
이날 행사에는 송치영 소상공인연합회장을 비롯해 양복업, 외식업 등 다양한 업종의 소상공인 4000여 명이 전국 각지에서 참석했으며, 정부에서는 오영주 중소벤처기업부 장관 등이 함께했다.
국회에서는 김상훈 국민의힘 정책위의장, 이철규 산업통상자원중소벤처기업위원회 위원장 등이, 대통령실에서는 성태윤 정책실장, 박춘섭 경제수석 등이 참석했다.
penfree1@hanmail.net
*아래는 위 기사를'구글 번역'으로 번역한 영문 기사의[전문]입니다. '구글번역'은 이해도 높이기를 위해 노력하고 있습니다. 영문 번역에 오류가 있을 수 있음을 전제로 합니다.<*The following is [the full text] of the English article translated by 'Google Translate'. 'Google Translate' is working hard to improve understanding. It is assumed that there may be errors in the English translation.>
President Yoon Seok-yeol: “The power of the Korean economy comes from small business owners”
Following his first attendance as a president last year, he attended the Small Business Owners’ Convention for the second consecutive year
A budget of 5.9 trillion won, the largest ever, for small business owners in 2025
Additional support for electricity bills for small business owners… Delivery fee support for 680,000 people next year
[Inside Story / Reporter Moon Hong-cheol] = President Yoon Seok-yeol attended the ‘2024 Korea Small Business Owners’ Convention’ held at KINTEX in Ilsan on the morning of the 31st.
Following his first attendance as a president last year, he attended the Korea Small Business Owners’ Convention for the second consecutive year, now in its 19th year, expressing his special affection and interest for small business owners.
The event was held on the largest scale ever, with approximately 4,000 small business owners from various industries, including the restaurant and tailoring industries, in attendance.
First, the president visited industry-specific booths operated by the Korea Tailored Suit Association and cheered on the participants in the Small Business Skills Competition held during the Small Business Convention before the opening ceremony.
Afterwards, he attended the opening ceremony and personally awarded medals, decorations, and commendations to six people who contributed to the growth and development of small businesses, including Seo Yong-pil, CEO of Dupang Bakery (Silver Tower Industrial Medal) and Kim Dae-rae, CEO of Elim Coffee (Iron Tower Industrial Medal).
In his words of encouragement, the president emphasized that small businesses are the foundation of people’s livelihoods and the local economy and the mainstay of our economy, and emphasized that next year’s budget dedicated to small businesses has been set at 5.9 trillion won, the largest ever, so that they can feel the warmth of economic recovery as soon as possible.
In addition, the government and banks will work together to provide 14 trillion won in new guaranteed loans, which is 2 trillion won more than this year, and to double the size of the convertible guaranteed loan to 10 trillion won, promising to make greater efforts to ease the financial burden on small business owners.
Regarding small business owners, the president emphasized that in addition to the 200,000 won electricity bill support already provided to 900,000 small business owners, an additional 50,000 won will be provided (totaling 250,000 won), and that next year, 200 billion won in delivery fees will be newly provided to 680,000 people.
In addition, he said that Onnuri gift certificates, which can be used at over 200,000 affiliated stores nationwide, including traditional markets and small business stores, were sold in the month before and after Chuseok, which is more than three times the amount sold last year, reaching 1.4 trillion won.
The president said that sales this year will reach a record high of 4.2 trillion won, and that sales will increase even more next year.
He concluded his speech by encouraging the small business owners who attended today’s event by saying that the power of the Korean economy comes from you, and that the president and all government ministries will work together as a team to help you as much as possible.
The president, along with the small business representatives who came up to the stage, vigorously pressed the touch button shaped like a store to light it up, congratulating the opening of the small business convention.
At the same time, the approximately 4,000 attendees who attended today’s event unfolded towels with the convention slogans, “Small business owners must survive,” and “Korea smiles!” written on them, and concluded the performance with a loud round of applause.
On this day, around 4,000 small business owners from various industries, including the tailoring and restaurant industries, including Song Chi-young, chairman of the Korea Federation of Small Businesses, attended the event from all over the country, and the government included Oh Young-joo, Minister of SMEs and Startups.
From the National Assembly, Kim Sang-hoon, the People Power Party's policy committee chairman, Lee Cheol-gyu, chairman of the Industry, Trade, Resources, Small and Medium Venture Business Committee, and others, and from the Office of the President, Sung Tae-yoon, policy chief, and Park Chun-seop, senior secretary for economic affairs, attended.
penfree1@hanmail.net
