'2026 Korea Small Business Convention' opens in Busan with over 1,000 attendees

Korea Federation of Micro Enterprise President Song Chi-young called for a fundamental shift in small-business policy — away from financial support and toward guaranteeing the rights of small business owners as independent economic actors.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 2026 Korea Small Business Convention at Bexco in Busan on Friday, Song said small businesses deserve to be treated as an industry in their own right. "The policy focus must move beyond 'how much support to provide' to 'what rights to guarantee,'" he said.

Song said small business owners have been pushed to the brink of survival by rapid shifts in consumer behavior, the aggressive expansion of large platforms and a prolonged slump in domestic demand. "For the past 30 years, the state and society have treated small business owners as recipients of charity — offering stopgap help and nothing more," he said.

The two-day convention, running through Friday under the theme "Small Businesses Building a Greater Korea," is co-hosted by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups and the Busan Metropolitan Government, and co-organized by the Korea Federation of Micro Enterprise and the Small Enterprise and Market Service.

The opening ceremony was attended by Ministry of SMEs and Startups Second Vice Minister Lee Byeong-gwon, Busan Metropolitan City Mayor Jeon Jae-soo, National Assembly member Park Hong-bae and about 1,000 small business owners from across the country.

Government commendations were presented at the ceremony to exemplary small business owners and those who contributed to their development. A total of 147 awards were given, including 21 orders of merit and 126 ministerial citations from the Ministry of SMEs and Startups. An Seung-bae, head of Shin Young Gas Station, received the Silver Tower Order of Industrial Service Merit, while Song Gyeong-deok, head of Sanha Restaurant, received the Bronze Tower Order of Industrial Service Merit.

The event venue features a small-business product fair, experience zones for local commercial districts and smart technology, a live commerce event, and forums on livelihoods and innovation. Dedicated zones — including a century-old small business zone, a local enterprise zone, a regional specialty products zone, a Busan special zone and a youth small business zone — showcase food, household goods and handcrafted items produced by small businesses from across the country.

A program called "K-Small Business Global Creators" will also run at the event, with domestic and international YouTubers and Instagram and TikTok creators introducing small-business products and brands. The program aims to boost the online visibility of small-business products and expand their reach to overseas consumers.

The Korea Small Business Convention is held annually to mark Small Business Day, a statutory commemorative day observed on Nov. 5. This year's edition was held in Busan.