Anaheim and Jeonju have successfully hosted events, and the Korean American Chamber of Commerce Federation is set to continue the momentum in Atlanta with the “Korean American Business Conference.” In an interview, Chairman Kyung-Chul Lee emphasized the need for issuing E-4 visas exclusively for Korean professionals.

“Atlanta and the surrounding six states in the southeastern U.S. are home to a cluster of Korean factories, so much so that they are referred to as a ‘K-Factory’ cluster. Major Korean corporations such as Hyundai Motor, Kia Motors, SK, LG, Hanwha, and Hankook Tire, as well as numerous mid-sized companies, have established 288 factories in the region. However, despite this, the approval rate for H1B work visas for Koreans qualified to work at these companies is only about 10% due to restrictions on E-4 visas for Korean professionals. As a result, Korean companies are struggling to secure the key personnel needed to operate their factories.”

Chairman Kyung-Chul Lee of the Korean American Chamber of Commerce Federation made these remarks after attending the 22nd World Korean Business Conference and the 28th World Korean Economic Conference held last month in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, and Vienna, Austria. The Korean American community has been consistently pushing for the passage of “The Partner with Korea Act” since over a decade ago, which would allow 15,000 Korean professionals to receive U.S. work visas annually. However, this effort ultimately failed.

The E-4 visa for Korean professionals was essentially promised when the Korea-U.S. FTA was signed in 2007 and implemented in 2008, but it has not been issued for six consecutive terms due to a lack of follow-through. If this law were enacted, it would allow up to 15,000 STEM professionals annually to receive special work visas and work in the U.S. This is of great interest to the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Korea International Trade Association, given the severe youth unemployment in Korea. However, experts point out that more proactive and diverse approaches are needed.

Chairman Lee, who was elected as the head of the Korean American Chamber of Commerce Federation last year, has been working through various channels to address this issue with the U.S. Congress but has yet to achieve results. The 118th U.S. Congress will conclude on January 2 next year. Chairman Lee expressed regret that he can only hope for the issuance of E-4 visas under the next administration (Trump).

Chairman Lee noted, “Currently, the U.S. allocates annual quotas to five countries with which it has signed FTAs: Canada (unlimited), Mexico (unlimited), Singapore (5,400), Chile (1,400), and Australia (15,000). However, despite having signed an FTA with the U.S. and becoming one of its largest investors, Korea has not received any allocated quota.”

Chairman Lee has been in office for two years since his election in May last year. Despite these challenges, he continues to support Korean companies’ expansion into the U.S. and manages his own businesses effectively. The World Korean Business Conference held in Anaheim, Orange County, last year was the most successful in history, giving Korean SMEs confidence in entering the U.S. market.

Chairman Lee explained, “Many SMEs requested that the Korean American Chamber of Commerce Federation host events like the World Korean Business Conference. Therefore, we decided to hold the Korean American Business Conference next year.” The Korean American Business Conference is scheduled to take place from April 17 to 20 at the Gas South Convention Center in Atlanta. The metropolitan area of Atlanta has a population of about 6.5 million and is the capital of Georgia. It is a hub for commerce, finance, transportation, and industries such as machinery, automobiles, electronics, steel, chemicals, petroleum, and food processing. It hosted the 1996 Summer Olympics and is a cultural city with large parks, numerous theaters, and cinemas.

In this context, the Korean American Chamber of Commerce Federation held a preliminary briefing session for the upcoming Korean American Business Conference at the 21st Korean Business Conference held at Jeonbuk National University in October. Vice Chairman No Sang-il presented successful cases of U.S. market entry from last year’s event. Company A opened unmanned stores selling kimchi, tteokbokki, and fried foods in Washington, D.C., while Company B, which sold dumplings at a traditional market in Cheongju, began exporting vegan dumplings to the U.S. in June. The president of the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce also noted the impact of the World Korean Business Conference, citing an outdoor company that secured the distributorship for the entire U.S.

Chairman Lee also announced that he would import $50 million worth of syringes and medical supplies from Punglim Pharmatech to sell in the U.S. market, the largest single transaction in the history of Korean business conferences. Chairman Lee is a successful CEO who operates Weil Enterprises LLC, which supplies syringes and medical supplies to over 5,000 U.S. hospitals, as well as a liquor trading and distribution company and a wood processing company called Global Woodsticks.

Q&A

▲ You expressed interest in nurturing the next generation when you took office last year. Could you elaborate on this?

• The next generation is well-educated and highly adaptable to local environments. However, many of them are not interested in the Korean community, unlike our generation. If we neglect this, they might become part of another country soon. Therefore, I believe the growth and development of the next generation are the future of our organization. The Korean American Chamber of Commerce Federation has been implementing various scholarship and education programs. We have 78 chapters and about 55,000 members across the U.S. We utilize this network to implement next-generation projects tailored to each region. For instance, the Houston Chamber of Commerce alternates between appointing a chair from the older generation and one from the younger generation, creating a cycle of communication that enhances the identity of the next generation.

▲ If the Korean American Chamber of Commerce Federation and the Korean American Association Federation collaborate on next-generation projects, it seems they could gain significant momentum. What are your thoughts?

• Until now, there have been no joint next-generation projects between the two organizations. However, in some regions, the president of the Korean American Association might also serve as the president of the Chamber of Commerce, or vice versa, so there hasn’t been a perceived need for integration. However, if the need arises, we can certainly consider it. So far, we have collaborated on national events like the March 1st and August 15th celebrations.

▲ Next-generation projects need to be sustainable, and they require significant funding. Do you have any message for the Overseas Koreans Foundation?

• So far, we have implemented next-generation projects using our own budget and received support from the U.S. government when needed. Rather than asking the Overseas Koreans Foundation for financial support, I think it’s more important to create good programs and collaborate on them.

▲ Could you briefly introduce the budget and main programs for the 2025 Korean American Business Conference?

• Based on last year’s experience with the World Korean Business Conference, I think a budget of about $5 million would be sufficient. We expect around 400 SME booths and about 15,000 participants, double the number from last year. The main programs will include corporate exhibitions, one-on-one business consultations, B2B and B2G transactions, G2G forums, venture investment forums, and startup competitions.

▲ Could you explain B2G and G2G in more detail?

• These projects involve SMEs in public procurement markets initiated by the U.S. government. Therefore, they are of great interest to SMEs. The Korean American Chamber of Commerce Federation is particularly focused on B2G (Business to Government) projects. Next year’s conference will include presentations and discussions by commerce ministers from 10 to 15 states on procurement markets. Additionally, there will be bilateral investment seminars. We have already appointed Lee Kyung-seok, president of the Korean Government Procurement Association, as the chairman of the public procurement project to discuss various strategies. A seminar was also held on this topic at the Jeonju conference.

▲ The Korean Business Conference primarily supports SMEs in entering overseas markets. What about the participation of large corporations?

• Last year’s event in Anaheim saw participation from major corporations like Samsung, Hyundai Motor Group, and E-Mart, which not only enhanced their image but also demonstrated successful co-growth with SMEs. We plan to encourage the participation of large Korean corporations in next year’s conference as well. One of the sponsors of the Korean American Economic Conference is Arcos, a major U.S. construction company with 42 branches across the U.S. Home Depot, Coca-Cola, and UPS are headquartered in Atlanta. If large corporations from both Korea and the U.S. support next year’s conference, it will be even more successful. I recently met with a representative from KCC, who expressed significant interest in participating in next year’s conference.

▲ The success of the Atlanta conference depends on the participation of Korean SMEs. How are you preparing for this?

• We plan to sign an MOU with the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Korea International Trade Association has notified us of their participation. We have explained the project to major economic organizations and local governments across the country, including the Small and Medium Business Administration and the Small Business Innovation Research Center. Most metropolitan cities in Korea, such as Seoul, Busan, Incheon, Daegu, and Daejeon, are expected to participate. We already signed an MOU with Incheon last year. In Gyeonggi Province, we are promoting the event in cities like Yongin, Pocheon, Anseong, and Seongnam. Fulton County in Georgia, near Atlanta, is a cooperative city with Seongnam and is expected to become a sister city next year. Daegu and Atlanta have been sister cities since 1981. We expect active participation from many SMEs in next year’s event.

*Original Article:

https://www.dongponews.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=51194

**박철의 기자 tie2409@naver.com