Korea Federation of SMEs to hold Jeju forum on AI strategy for small businesses

More than 400 small and medium-sized enterprise leaders from across South Korea's industries and regions will gather in Jeju to discuss survival and growth strategies for the AI era.

The Korea Federation of SMEs announced Monday it will hold the 2026 SME Leaders Forum at Lotte Hotel Jeju from Tuesday through Friday.

This year's forum carries the theme "Together with SMEs, toward becoming one of the world's top three AI powers." Participants will explore ways for small and medium-sized enterprises to innovate and strengthen their competitiveness amid structural changes driven by the spread of AI technology, and discuss the role of the SME sector in positioning South Korea among the world's leading AI nations.

The centerpiece program is a panel discussion titled "Innovation Strategies for SMEs in the Physical AI Era." Park Young-sun, chair of the Ministry of Economy and Finance's Strategic Economic Advisory Group, will deliver the keynote address, with experts from the private sector, government and academia set to discuss how SMEs can harness AI technology and sharpen their competitive edge.

This year's program also includes a humanoid robot experience session, giving participants a firsthand look at how AI technology is being applied on actual factory floors. The session aims to explore the potential of AI in manufacturing settings and help chart future growth strategies for small businesses.

Lectures by experts from economics, business and other fields will round out the program. Speakers include Lee Jin-woo, deputy chief of SamproTV; North Chungcheong Province Governor Shin Yong-han; and Kim Hyung-tae, chief executive of Performance by TBWA.

Novelist Kim Hong-shin will speak on the theme "You'll understand once you've been through it — just live," while Father Hwang Chang-yeon of St. Philip's Eco-Village will meet attendees under the theme "A life to be proud of."

Park Yong-woo, director of the obesity clinic at Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, art docent Jeong Woo-cheol and physiognomist Park Sung-jun are also scheduled to speak, sharing experience and insight from their respective fields with business leaders.

Now in its 19th year, the SME Leaders Forum is an annual event where the small business community discusses key industry issues and policy priorities.