In Tae-yeon has been appointed as the new chairman of the Small Enterprise and Market Service (SEMAS), according to an announcement made on the 28th. His term will last three years.
SEMAS is a quasi-governmental organization under the Ministry of SMEs and Startups that supports small businesses and traditional markets, managing an annual budget of approximately 5 trillion won for small business-related projects.
In, the new chairman and older brother-in-law of broadcaster Kim Eo-jun, has served as the president of the Incheon Bupyeong Culture Street Merchants’ Association, co-chairman of the National Retailers Association, and chairman of the Korea Federation of Micro Enterprises. In 2018, he also served as a presidential secretary for self-employed businesses in the Moon Jae-in administration.
Subsequently, he founded the Korea Federation of Micro Enterprises and led movements such as the boycott of Japanese products and the campaign in favor of raising minimum wages. In 2024, he took on the role of co-chairman of the Democratic Party’s People’s Livelihood Joint Conference alongside then party leader Lee Jae-myung, advocating for the expansion of regional currency issuance.
SEMAS stated, “We expect Chairman In to effectively bridge the gap between the field and the government, enhancing the execution of the corporation’s policies by leveraging his experience in leading merchant organizations and coordinating small business policies as a presidential secretary.”