The election for the 28th president of the Small Business Association, representing approximately 8.3 million small businesses and self-employed individuals, is shaping up to be highly competitive. With two months remaining until the candidate registration deadline, the number of potential candidates has increased to between five and seven.
According to the election management committee of the Small Business Association, the announcement date for this election has been moved up from 40 days to 50 days prior to the election, now set for December 11, 2026. Candidate registration will take place on January 1-2, 2027, followed by an official campaign period from January 3 to February 1. The election will conclude with on-site voting at a special general meeting on February 2, where the new president will be confirmed. The new president's term will begin on March 1 and last for four years.
Voting rights will be granted to approximately 600 chairpersons of national, regional, and business cooperative associations, who will participate in a direct, secret ballot. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the votes in the first round, a runoff vote will be held on the same day between the top two candidates. Given the multi-candidate nature of the election, the distribution of votes in the runoff is expected to significantly influence the outcome for the 28th president of the Small Business Association.
Currently, five candidates are being considered for the presidency: Kang Dong-han, chairman of the Korean Forging Industry Cooperative; Park Jang-seon, chairman of the Korean Printing Cooperative Federation; Shim Seung-il, chairman of the Korean High-Pressure Gas Industry Cooperative Federation; Lee Min-hyung, chairman of the Central Pipe Business Cooperative; and Lee Jae-gwang, chairman of the Korean Electric Energy Industry Cooperative. Among these, Kang Dong-han, Park Jang-seon, Shim Seung-il, and Lee Jae-gwang are current vice presidents of the association. Lee Jae-gwang previously reached the runoff in the 25th election in 2015 and also ran in 2019.
In addition to these candidates, Baek Jo-woong, chairman of the Korean Ready-Mixed Concrete Industry Cooperative and current senior vice president of the association, and Choi Eun-soo, chairman of an artificial intelligence cooperative, are also being mentioned as potential candidates.
Regarding speculation about his candidacy, Baek stated, "A candidate who is dedicated to the Small Business Association should emerge," while avoiding direct comments. He added, "The rumors about my candidacy seem to reflect the desire of those inside and outside the association, based on my experience accumulated over more than 20 years. I will carefully consider the situation before making a decision, as there is still time." He expressed confidence in the policy and legislative network he has built through his work within the association.
Meanwhile, during the Leaders Forum held in Jeju from October 20 to 24, the five previously mentioned candidates were absent at the request of the association. Some candidates reportedly expressed dissatisfaction over missing the opportunity to meet with stakeholders in the small business sector. The association explained that all five candidates agreed to this decision due to concerns about election fervor.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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