Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI; Korean: 대한상공회의소; RR: Daehan Sanggong Hoeuiso) is a business association based in South Korea. Founded in 1884, KCCI represents over 180,000 businesses, ranging from small enterprises to large corporations. As the oldest business organization in the country, it stands as one of the leading business advocacy groups in South Korea, alongside the Federation of Korean Industries.

History

The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry traces its origins to the Seoul (Hanseong) Chamber of Commerce, which was founded in 1884. During Japan's occupation of Korea, the Japanese authorities sought to control the local economy by managing regional chambers of commerce. As a result, the Japanese Chamber of Commerce in Seoul and Korea's Seoul Chamber of Commerce were merged. Through this consolidated organization, Japan exploited Korea's economy by monitoring local markets and promoting the interests of Japanese nationals. After Korea's liberation, efforts were made to revive the Seoul Chamber of Commerce. In 1946, the Korea Chamber of Commerce was established. With the passage of the Chamber of Commerce Act in 1952, it became an official statutory body.

Organization

The KCCI consists of 73 regional chambers of commerce and more than 100 prominent institutions and organizations. It also has three international offices located in Beijing, China; Hanoi, Vietnam; and Frankfurt, Germany.