President Moon Jae-in (center) holds a meeting with business leaders in the main building of Cheong Wa Dae on July 28.

By Yoon Sojung

Photos = Cheong Wa Dae

President Moon Jae-in held meetings with business leaders and CEOs from across the country at Cheong Wa Dae on July 27 and 28. 

In the meetings, President Moon shared the new administration`s people-centered economic philosophy with the corporate heads.

On July 27, a "beer meeting" was held between the president and the leaders of the eight companies, among the nation`s list of top 15 conglomerates. The leader of Ottogi, a food company that has demonstrated exemplary management skills, also attended as a special guest. The next day, the president met for a "cocktail meeting" with leaders from the seven companies on the nation`s top-15 company list.

The two meetings helped President Moon and the business leaders share the corporate and economic policy directions of the new government in an honest manner.

President Moon Jae-in (center) holds a meeting with business leaders at Sangchunjae Hall in Cheong Wa Dae on July 27.

In the first meeting, President Moon and leaders of many top companies, including LG, Hyundai Motor Company, POSCO and Doosan, enjoyed a beer together. Their topics of conversation included job creation, preparation for the fourth industrial revolution and ways to foster the service industry.

The next day, President Moon met with chairpeople and CEOs from Samsung Electronics, SK and other leading companies for a cocktail. 

In both meetings, President Moon said that, “Revitalizing the economy is the foremost goal of our new government.”

“My administration has set up its policy direction toward job-centered, income-driven innovative growth in order to realize a people-centered economy as the fundamental economic paradigm,” he said.

“I’d like you to share the new government’s economic philosophy and work together with us to achieve these goals,” President Moon told the corporate heads.

“Companies contribute to the national policy through their economic activities, and the government helps companies’ economic activities as a partner through its economic policies,” he said.

President Moon also asked the business leaders to talk openly about their concerns and difficulties in an honest manner. 

When talking about a social enterprise that has a large effect on job creation, President Moon called for his administration to work actively to present a related bill designed to support such firms. This, he said, is an example of forward-focused cooperation between government and business.

President Moon Jae-in (second from left) fills a glass of beer during a meeting with business leaders at Sangchunjae Hall in Cheong Wa Dae on July 27. All the beer served was hand-brewed by small- and medium-sized firms.

President Moon Jae-in (second from left) talks with business leaders during a meeting in the main building of Cheong Wa Dae on July 28.

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