President Lee Jae-myung presides over an emergency economic meeting at the Blue House on June 30. He directed the conversion of unused card points and various membership points into local currency to boost consumption in small businesses. [Photo=Yonhap News]
President Lee Jae-myung announced plans to develop cooperatives as key players in essential sectors such as healthcare, caregiving, housing, education, and energy. The Ministry of Economy and Finance aims to designate 2027 as the "Year of Cooperative Rejuvenation," focusing on expanding education, talent development, and financial support.
During a speech at the 14th Cooperative Day event held at the COEX Convention Center in Seoul on July 2, President Lee stated, "To overcome the significant crises of polarization and rural decline, we must enhance the role of cooperatives based on solidarity and cooperation. We will continue to provide policy support to actively foster excellent cooperatives in healthcare, caregiving, housing, education, and energy."
The event was attended by over 600 participants, including government officials, related organizations, and cooperative activists, who shared achievements and discussed future policy directions.
Im Gi-nam, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, emphasized in his opening remarks that cooperatives are at a turning point where they must achieve qualitative leaps beyond mere quantitative growth amid the AI transformation and K-shaped polarization. He reiterated the commitment to make 2027 a year of comprehensive innovation in education, talent development, and financial support for cooperatives.
The government plans to cultivate specialized personnel in cooperatives, particularly among youth, by designating leading universities and supporting education, employment, and entrepreneurship programs. Additionally, it will expand AX (AI transformation) and DX (digital transformation) vouchers and low-interest loans to broaden the operational scope of cooperatives. Collaborating with local governments, the government aims to enhance the public service provision capabilities of cooperatives in five key areas: healthcare, caregiving, housing, education, and energy.
During the event, 20 awards were presented by the Minister of Economy and Finance to individuals and outstanding cooperatives that contributed to social value realization and regional economic revitalization.
In the newly established "Best Cooperative" category, the Dream Whale Social Cooperative, which has developed a rehabilitation treatment program for individuals with developmental disabilities in the community, received the top honor. In the second "Coop Box" essay contest, Baek Jae-eun, a member of the Siheung Hope Medical Welfare Cooperative, won the grand prize for sharing her experience of restoring her mother's health through the cooperative's medical welfare services.
The Ministry of Economy and Finance plans to continuously gather feedback from the field to ensure that cooperatives can grow as key players in solving community issues and revitalizing the local economy through institutional improvements and policy support.
During a speech at the 14th Cooperative Day event held at the COEX Convention Center in Seoul on July 2, President Lee stated, "To overcome the significant crises of polarization and rural decline, we must enhance the role of cooperatives based on solidarity and cooperation. We will continue to provide policy support to actively foster excellent cooperatives in healthcare, caregiving, housing, education, and energy."
The event was attended by over 600 participants, including government officials, related organizations, and cooperative activists, who shared achievements and discussed future policy directions.
Im Gi-nam, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, emphasized in his opening remarks that cooperatives are at a turning point where they must achieve qualitative leaps beyond mere quantitative growth amid the AI transformation and K-shaped polarization. He reiterated the commitment to make 2027 a year of comprehensive innovation in education, talent development, and financial support for cooperatives.
The government plans to cultivate specialized personnel in cooperatives, particularly among youth, by designating leading universities and supporting education, employment, and entrepreneurship programs. Additionally, it will expand AX (AI transformation) and DX (digital transformation) vouchers and low-interest loans to broaden the operational scope of cooperatives. Collaborating with local governments, the government aims to enhance the public service provision capabilities of cooperatives in five key areas: healthcare, caregiving, housing, education, and energy.
During the event, 20 awards were presented by the Minister of Economy and Finance to individuals and outstanding cooperatives that contributed to social value realization and regional economic revitalization.
In the newly established "Best Cooperative" category, the Dream Whale Social Cooperative, which has developed a rehabilitation treatment program for individuals with developmental disabilities in the community, received the top honor. In the second "Coop Box" essay contest, Baek Jae-eun, a member of the Siheung Hope Medical Welfare Cooperative, won the grand prize for sharing her experience of restoring her mother's health through the cooperative's medical welfare services.
The Ministry of Economy and Finance plans to continuously gather feedback from the field to ensure that cooperatives can grow as key players in solving community issues and revitalizing the local economy through institutional improvements and policy support.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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