The Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS, Minister HAN Seongsook) announced that on Monday, September 1, the 31st APEC Small and Medium Enterprises Ministerial Meeting (SMEMM)* will officially open in Jeju, along with APEC SME Week (September 1–5, 2025), at the International Convention Center Jeju (ICC JEJU).

* As one of the sectoral ministerial meetings of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the APEC SMEMM has been held annually since 1994 to discuss issues concerning SMEs, startups, and micro enterprises within the APEC region.

< Overview of APEC SMEs Week >

■ Date & Venue: September 1 (Monday) – September 5 (Friday), 2025, ICC Jeju and nearby hotels including Lotte, Shilla, and Booyoung   ■ Participants: Minister of MSS, representatives from 21 APEC member economies, international organizations, and approximately 5,000 attendees   ■ Main Programs: Ministerial meeting, working-level meetings, two official workshops, and eight side events including the “K-Shopping Festa”

 
The APEC Small and Medium Enterprises Ministerial Meeting is one of the sectoral meetings held ahead of the APEC Summit to be convened in Gyeongju this October. It brings together 21 member economies of APEC to discuss policy cooperation on challenges faced by SMEs, such as climate change and population decline. In addition, beyond serving as a simple international conference, it is also an important opportunity for Korean SMEs to expand their global networks through cooperation with APEC member economies.

Accordingly, MSS has designated the first week of September, when the APEC Ministerial Meeting will be held, as “APEC SME Week.” The Ministry has prepared not only for policy exchanges among member economies but also for enabling APEC SME representatives to see, hear, and experience as much as possible the excellence of Korea’s leading SMEs, venture businesses, and microbusinesses.

“APEC SME Week” will kick off on Monday, September 1, with the official workshop titled the “APEC SME Innovation Forum.” In addition, a commemorative ceremony will be held to mark the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the “APEC SME Innovation Center,” which was founded following the joint declaration of the APEC Small and Medium Enterprises Ministerial Meeting held in Daegu in 2005.

On the second day (September 2), the official workshop “ASEIC* Global Eco-Innovation Forum” will be held to discuss cooperative measures for eco-friendly innovation across Asia, Europe, and the APEC region. Subsequently, on September 3–4, the “APEC Small and Medium Enterprises Working Group Meeting” will take place, bringing together SME policy officials from APEC member economies for in-depth discussions on challenges faced by SMEs and corresponding policy responses.

*  ASEM SMEs Eco Innovation Center (ASEIC): Established in 2011 to promote cooperation on eco-friendly growth between Europe and Asia

The highlight of the event, the “APEC Small and Medium Enterprises Ministerial Meeting,” will be held on the final day, Friday, September 5. Ministerial-level officials from each member economy will attend to conclude the discussions and adopt a joint declaration that includes the outcomes of the meeting and future plans.

At this Ministerial Meeting, under the theme “MSMEs as Engines of Sustainable and Inclusive Growth,” member economies will share policies on challenges faced by SMEs and discuss three areas of cooperation.

< 2025 APEC SME Ministerial Meeting Theme and Key Agendas >
 

Theme	MSMEs as Engines of Sustainable and Inclusive Growth
Key agendas	Innovative growth through emerging technologies Sharing best practices of creating new business models and leading global markets through artificial intelligence (AI) and digital transformation, and discussing the key factors behind their success
	Sustainable growth through smart policies Sharing policies implemented by member economies to help SMEs effectively respond to various environmental changes such as climate and demographic shifts
	Inclusive growth through enhanced connectivity Discussing APEC-wide cooperation measures to support SME growth and entry into global markets by fostering linkages with diverse economic actors

 
Through this, it is expected to serve as an important venue for jointly shaping the direction of SME cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region, in response to global crises faced by SMEs such as the rapid advancement of AI and changes in global supply chains.

In addition, during “APEC Ministerial Meeting Week,” eight flagship MSS events encompassing SMEs, venture businesses, and microbusinesses will be held, starting with the opening ceremony of the K-Shopping Festival (August 30–31), followed by “Global Startup Day in Jeju*,” the Korea SME Innovative Show, etc.

* Joint opening ceremony for startups (Challenge! K-Startup, Grand Challenge Showcase) and venture businesses (Global Venture Investment Summit)

** ^➊ Microbusinesses (K-Shopping Festa Opening Ceremony), ^➋ Startups (Challenge! K-Startup Opening Ceremony and four others), ^➌ Technology innovation (Korea SME Innovative Show, Innovation Network Forum for SMES and two others), ^➍ Climate (Global Eco-Innovation Forum)

With these abundant side events combined, “APEC SME Week” is expected to become both a platform to showcase the innovative capacity of Korean SMEs and venture businesses to the world and a springboard for their global expansion, as well as a festival for SME and venture entrepreneurs that all participants can enjoy.

Minister HAN Seongsook stated, “This ‘APEC SME Week,’ including the Ministerial Meeting, is a valuable opportunity for our SMEs to leap forward on the global stage.” She added, “Through cooperation with APEC member economies, we will drive innovative, inclusive, and sustainable growth while actively supporting our companies to advance into the global market.”

She also emphasized, “We will do our utmost to ensure that all programs are completed safely and successfully through to the Ministerial Plenary on September 5,” adding, “We hope this meeting will serve as the first step for SMEs across not only Korea but the entire Asia-Pacific region to become key drivers of sustainable and inclusive growth.”