▲ 강기정 광주시장이 지난 3일 오전 서구 김대중컨벤션센터에서 열린 '2024년 광주상공회의소 신년인사회'에서 참석자들과 인사를 나누고 있다.

(광주=브레이크뉴스) 이학수 기자=강기정 광주시장이 2024년 새해 벽두 민생경제 행보에 집중하고 있다. 지속되는 대내외 경제 악재로 지역경제에 빨간불이 켜지자 경제계 인사들과 ‘원팀’ 체제를 구축, 위기 극복에 나서겠다는 의지를 담은 것으로 풀이된다.

강 시장은 새해 들어 광주상공회의소 신년인사회(3일)를 시작으로 광주경영자총협회 금요조찬포럼(5일), 중소기업융합 광주·전남연합회 조찬세미나(9일)에 참석, 지역 경제인들과 소통하고 광주시 시정 방향 및 중소기업 지원 및 창업정책에 대한 비전을 제시했다.

특히 광주상공회의소 신년인사회에는 이례적으로 광주시 모든 실국장들이 강 시장과 함께 참석해 ‘경제‧기업 살리기에 적극 나서겠다’는 의지를 보여줬다.

강 시장은 특히 “위기를 기회로 만들기 위해 지역 경제인들과 원팀으로 함께 달리겠다”면서 “광주를 더 살기 좋은, 더 즐기기 좋은, 더 기업하기 좋은 도시로 함께 만들어가자”고 강조했다.

강 시장은 9일 오전 중소벤처기업진흥공단 호남연수원에서 열린 중소기업융합 광주·전남연합회 제100회 조찬세미나에 참석, 경제계와의 ‘원팀’을 강조하며 “대유위니아 사태로 본 가장 성공적인 산업정책은 지역기업을 지키는 것”이라고 밝혔다.

이날 조찬세미나에는 조종래 광주전남지방중소벤처기업청장, 김영집 광주테크노파크원장, 최봉규 중소기업융합중앙회장, 원충국 중소기업융합 광주전남연합회장과 회원기업 대표 등 100여명이 참석했다.

강 시장은 특강에서 인공지능(AI)과 미래차 산업을 양 날개로 9대 대표산업(반도체·데이터·모빌리티·인공지능·문화콘텐츠·에너지·메디헬스케어·광융합·스마트뿌리) 위주로 미래경쟁력을 키우고 고부가가치 산업으로 구조 전환을 통해 광주의 미래먹거리를 집중 육성하겠다고 강조했다.

구체적으로 지역기업의 디딤돌·버팀목이 될 수 있도록 중소기업경영안정자금 및 구조고도화자금 등 자금 지원을 비롯해 이자·보험료 지원, 수출지원 정책 등 경제정책을 소개하고, 기업 성장사다리 구축·운영을 통한 맞춤형 기업육성 등을 제시했다.

혁신기술을 보유한 업체는 기술혁신제품 인증을 받을 수 있도록 지원하고, 기술혁신 인증을 받은 제품은 공공기관에서 직접 구매를 통해 지원할 계획이다.

광주시는 특히 오는 10월 김대중컨벤션센터에서 ‘전국중소기업융합대전’을 개최, 중소기업 간 기술교류와 협업·기술 우수사례 성과 공유, 우수제품 전시, 세미나 등을 통해 지역 우수 중소기업 홍보와 제품 판로 확보, 기업 간 교류 활성화 등 중소기업인들의 교류의 장을 마련한다.

또 중소기업 밀집지역에 중소기업위기지원센터를 운영하고, 지역 중소기업들의 경영 위기에 선제적으로 대응하기 위한 위기대응체계를 구축한다. 맞춤형 금융 지원, 창업에서 성장까지의 단계별 육성 지원, 수출 지원 등을 통해 기업의 경영 안정화와 경쟁력을 확보하고, 각 분야별 지원체계 조정을 통해 투자유치를 늘려나갈 계획이다.

아래는 위 기사를 '구글 번역'으로 번역한 영문 기사의 [전문] 입니다. '구글번역'은 이해도를 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.

Gwangju Mayor Kang Ki-jeong, “Successful industrial policy is about protecting companies.”

Mayor Kang, the reason he rushed to meet business figures at the start of the new year... Gwangju Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Energy Federation, Korea Federation of SMEs, etc. held a series of meetings to focus on ‘movement toward the people’s livelihood economy’ and strengthen competitiveness by transforming the industrial structure with the economic community and one team ‘turning the crisis into an opportunity’

(Gwangju = Break News) Reporter Hak-soo Lee = Mayor Ki-jeong Kang of Gwangju is focusing on economic activities for the people at the beginning of the new year of 2024. This is interpreted as expressing the will to overcome the crisis by establishing a ‘one team’ system with business leaders as a red light is turned on in the local economy due to continued negative economic factors at home and abroad.

Mayor Kang started the new year by attending the Gwangju Chamber of Commerce and Industry's New Year's Greetings (on the 3rd), the Gwangju Employers Federation's Friday Breakfast Forum (on the 5th), and the Gwangju-Jeonnam Federation of Small and Medium Business Convergence Breakfast Seminar (on the 9th), communicating with local businesspeople. A vision for Gwangju City's city administration direction and small business support and start-up policies was presented.

In particular, at the Gwangju Chamber of Commerce and Industry New Year’s meeting, all Gwangju city bureau chiefs attended the event together with Mayor Kang, demonstrating their will to ‘actively take action to revive the economy and businesses.’

Mayor Kang especially emphasized, “We will run together as a team with local businesspeople to turn the crisis into an opportunity,” and added, “Let’s make Gwangju a better city to live in, enjoy better, and do business together.”

Mayor Kang attended the 100th breakfast seminar of the Gwangju-Jeonnam Federation of Small and Medium Business Convergence held at the Honam Training Center of the Small and Medium Venture Business Corporation on the morning of the 9th, emphasizing ‘one team’ with the business community and saying, “The most successful industrial policy seen from the Daeyu Winia incident is regional policy.” “It’s about protecting the company,” he said.

About 100 people attended the breakfast seminar, including Cho Jong-rae, head of the Gwangju-Jeonnam Regional Small and Medium Venture Business Administration, Kim Young-jip, director of Gwangju Techno Park, Choi Bong-gyu, president of the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Businesses, Won Chung-guk, president of the Gwangju-Jeonnam Federation of Small and Medium Business Convergence, and representatives of member companies.

In a special lecture, Mayor Kang focused on future competitiveness of nine major industries (semiconductors, data, mobility, artificial intelligence, cultural contents, energy, medi-healthcare, optical convergence, and smart roots) with artificial intelligence (AI) and the future car industry as both wings. He emphasized that he would focus on fostering Gwangju's future food by growing and structurally transforming into high value-added industries.

Specifically, we introduce economic policies such as interest and insurance premium support, export support policy, as well as financial support such as small and medium-sized business management stabilization fund and structural advancement fund to serve as a stepping stone and support for local companies, and create customized companies through building and operating a corporate growth ladder. Training, etc. were suggested.

We plan to support companies with innovative technologies to obtain technology innovation product certification, and support products that have received technology innovation certification through direct purchase from public institutions.

In particular, Gwangju City will hold the 'National Small and Medium Business Convergence Exhibition' at the Kimdaejung Convention Center in October to promote local excellent small and medium-sized businesses and secure product sales channels through technology exchange and collaboration between small and medium-sized businesses, sharing of best practices in technology, exhibitions of excellent products, and seminars. We provide a venue for exchange between small and medium-sized businesses, such as promoting exchange between businesses.

In addition, small and medium-sized business crisis support centers will be operated in areas where small and medium-sized businesses are concentrated, and a crisis response system will be established to preemptively respond to management crises of local small and medium-sized businesses. We plan to secure management stability and competitiveness of companies through customized financial support, step-by-step development support from start-up to growth, and export support, and increase investment attraction by adjusting the support system for each field.