Hyundai, Kia hold fair for SMEs

Jobseekers wait to learn about employment opportunities at a job fair hosted by Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors at COEX in southern Seoul yesterday. The two-day event helped subcontractors find talented human resources. [YONHAP]

Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors held a job fair for subcontractors at COEX in southern Seoul yesterday as part of their effort to promote so-called “shared growth” between companies large and small.

It was the first time a conglomerate hosted a job fair for its partners.

The two automakers are paying for expenses and administration costs of the two-day event. A total of 250 subcontractors took part.

“The growth of our partners will lead to our own,” Kim Eok-jo, vice chairman of Hyundai Motor, said in an opening speech. “It is important for our partners to find global talent.”

Other dignitaries attending the fair included Minister of Employment and Labor Lee Chae-pil, Saenuri Party Congressman Koh Seung-duk and Jung Byung-chul, vice chairman of the Federation of Korean Industries.

Hyundai and Kia said they are purchasing 95 percent of auto components from subcontractors and these companies significantly influence their own competitiveness. The subcontractors will hire a total of 10,000 through similar events this year.

Sambo Motos, a producer of auto transmission parts and pipes, was one of the 250 companies participating yesterday.

“As a small to medium-sized enterprise situated outside Seoul, we’ve had problems in hiring talented human resources,” said Yoon So-young, an employee of Sambo.

“It is rare for partners of Hyundai and Kia to gather like this. Now we can share information with other companies in employing people,” Yoon said. “Considering the fact that we can directly meet applicants and learn what they want, we hope we can develop our hiring system.”

Jinhap, a maker of fasteners, said it used to look for people on recruitment Web sites but there were limits to finding good employees.

“Jobseekers tend to prefer large companies,” said Jeon Byeong-min, a manager of Jinhap. “In public recruitment, there weren’t many people who met our expectations.”

The job fair will also be held at the Kimdaejung Convention Center in Gwangju on May 3 and at EXCO in Daegu on May 9.

Hyundai Motor is offering loans of 619 billion won ($54.3 million) this year to companies with an interest rate of 2 percent for R&D and expanding facilities.

By Limb Jae-un [jbiz91@joongang.co.kr]