중견기업 스케일업을 위한 지원체계 개편 방안

김영주 ( Young Ju Kim ) 한국중견기업학회 2025 중견기업연구 Vol.12 No.3

이 글에서는 우리나라 경제 구조의 중추적인 역할을 차지하는 중견기업의 스케일업을 위한 구체적인 개편 방안을 논의해 보았다. 현행 중견기업법을 중심으로 정책의 비일관성, 성장 사다리의 단절, 과도한 행정 비용, 재정·세제 지원의 역진성이라는 4가지 문제점을 지적하고, 이를 바탕으로 정책 책무의 실질화, 성장 경로의 통합, 행정제도의 디지털 전환, 재정·세제 지원 체계의 재구축을 골자로 하는 몇 가지의 법제 방안을 제시하였다. 이를 다시 정리하며 그 함의를 도출해 보면 다음과 같다. 첫째, 정책의 일관성과 실효성 확보를 위해 법적 구속력을 강화해야 한다. 단순한 선언적 규정만으로 는 중견기업 정책이 중소기업 정책의 부속 영역을 탈피하기 어렵다. 따라서 금융, 기술혁신, 인재 육성 등 스케일업의 핵심 분야에 대해서는 의무 또는 준의무 규정을 도입하고, 중견기업정책위원회를 단순 심의 기구에서 실질적인 조정·점검 권한을 가진 기구로 격상해야 한다. 아울러 핵심성과지표 기반의 정책 평가와 중견기업종합정보시스템을 활용한 데이터 행정을 구축해야 할 것이다. 둘째, 파편화된 지원 제도를 ‘스케일업 패스’로 통합하여 성장 사다리를 복원해야 한다. 현재 중견기업법상 후보기업, 일반 중견기업, 세계적 유망 중견기업 제도가 통합 연동되어 운영되고 있지 못하다는 문제를 개선하기 위해서는 하나의 연속적인 관리 트랙으로 통합하여 이를 운영할 필요가 있고, 중소기업 졸업 후 초기 구간을 이행 단계로 명시하여 지원 단절의 충격을 완화할 필요가 있다. 특히, 기업성장에 따라 지원구조가 배제되는 상황을 완화함으로써 성장의 역진적 구조를 인센티브 체제로 전환해야 한다. 셋째, 행정제도와 정보체계를 스케일업 친화적 구조로 개편하여 거래비용을 획기적으로 낮추어야 한다. 기존의 복잡한 확인 제도와 위탁 구조는 기업과 행정 모두에 부담이 되고 있다. 이를 해결하기 위해 법정 기준에 따른 자동 판정 도입, 확인서 유효기간 합리화, MME의 플랫폼화, 무서류 처리 원칙 등 데이터 기반 행정의 법적 근거를 마련해야 한다. 넷째, 재정·세제 지원이 성장을 저해하는 ‘절벽 효과’를 해소해야 한다. 매출액 기준에 따른 지원 축소와 단절은 기업의 성장을 억제하는 주요 요인으로 작용하고 있다. 따라서 성장 단계별 정책금융 패키지를 재구축하고, R&D·시설투자·가업승계 세제를 합리적으로 개편하여 중견기업법의 지향점과 실제 조세·금융 제도 간의 정합성을 회복해야 한다. 종합하자면, 중견기업법은 단순히 기업 규모를 분류하는 기준법이 아니라, 중소기업에서 글로벌 전문 기업으로 이어지는 ‘성장 경로’ 자체를 설계하고 관리하는 법으로 재정립되어야 할 것이다. 향후에는 중견기업의 스케일업 패스와 세제 개편이 실제 기업의 의사결정에 미치는 영향에 대한 미시적 분석과 함께 주요국 법제와의 체계적인 비교 연구, 거버넌스 주체 간 상호작용에 관한 후속 연구도 이루어져야 할 것이다. This article has examined concrete reform measures designed to facilitate the “scale-up” of Middle-Market Enterprises (MMEs), which play a pivotal role in the nation's economic structure. Focusing on the current Special Act on the Promotion of Growth and the Strengthening of Competitiveness of Middle-Standing Enterprises (hereinafter “the Special Act”), this study identified four structural deficiencies: policy inconsistency, the disconnection of the “growth ladder,” excessive administrative burdens, and the regressive nature of fiscal and tax support. Based on this analysis, legislative improvements were proposed, centering on substantializing policy responsibilities, integrating growth pathways, digitalizing administrative systems, and reconstructing the framework for fiscal and tax support. The implications of these proposals can be summarized as follows: First, to ensure policy consistency and effectiveness, legal binding force must be strengthened. Mere declaratory provisions are insufficient to elevate MME policy beyond a subsidiary domain of Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) policy. Therefore, mandatory or quasi-mandatory provisions should be introduced in key scale-up areas―such as finance, technological innovation, and talent development. Furthermore, the MME Policy Committee must be restructured from a simple deliberative body into an entity with substantive authority for coordination and inspection. Additionally, a data-driven administrative system should be established, anchored by policy evaluations based on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and the utilization of the Middle-Market Enterprise Comprehensive Information System (MME System). Second, the growth ladder must be restored by integrating fragmented support mechanisms into a unified “Scale-up Path.” To address the current lack of integration among the candidate enterprise, general MME, and globally promising MME designations under the Special Act, these systems must be consolidated into a single, continuous management track. Crucially, the initial period following SME graduation should be explicitly defined as a “transitional phase” to mitigate the shock of support discontinuation. In particular, the regressive structure―where support is withdrawn as companies grow―must be transformed into an incentive-based framework. Third, administrative institutions and information systems must be reorganized into a scale-up friendly structure to drastically reduce transaction costs. The existing complex verification procedures and delegation structures place an undue burden on both enterprises and the administration. To resolve this, legal grounds for data-based administration must be established, including the introduction of automatic classification based on statutory standards, rationalization of certificate validity periods, the transformation of the MME System into a comprehensive platform, and the adoption of a paperless processing principle. Fourth, the cliff effect arising from fiscal and tax support, which hinders growth, must be eliminated. The reduction and abrupt cessation of support based on revenue thresholds act as significant constraints on corporate growth. Accordingly, it is necessary to reconstruct policy finance packages tailored to growth stages and rationally reform the tax regime regarding R&D, facility investment, and family business succession, thereby restoring coherence between the objectives of the Special Act and the actual tax and financial systems. In conclusion, the Special Act must be redefined not merely as a criterion for classifying enterprise size, but as a legislative framework that designs and manages the growth path extending from SMEs to global specialized enterprises. Future research should focus on micro-level analyses regarding the impact of the Scale-up Path and tax reforms on corporate decision-making, along with systematic comparative studies of legislation in major countries and follow-up research on the interactions among governance actors.

「중견기업기본법」 제정의 필요성 및 방향성에 관한 고찰

김대홍 ( Kim Dae Hong ) 한국중견기업학회 2025 중견기업연구 Vol.12 No.3

본 논문은 「중견기업 성장촉진 및 경쟁력 강화에 관한 특별법」(약칭: 중견기업법)의 구조와 입법 과정을 분석하고, 중견기업의 위상과 정책 수요에 상응하는 「중견기업기본법」 제정의 필요성과 방향성을 제시하는 것을 목적으로 한다. 이를 위해 기본법·진흥법·특별법이라는 입법모델의 개념과 형성 배경, 특히 일본의 기본법 논의를 검토하고, 「중견기업법」의 기본법적 요소와 개별법적 요소가 혼재된 체계상의 한계를 도출한다. 이와 함께 「중소기업기본법」과의 비교를 통해 「중견기업법」이 특례 조항 중심의 부분적 지원에 머물러 중견기업 정책의 법적 근거로 충분히 기능하지 못하고 있음을 지적한다. 이어 헌법 조항과 「중견기업법」의 입법 목적을 연계하여 중견기업 지원의 헌법적 정당성과 기본법 제정의 규범적 기반을 검토한다. 그 위에서 기본법의 헌장적 성격, 제정 목적, 제정 시기, 부속 법률 체계에 관한 기준을 제시하고, 중견기업의 성장촉진·혁신역량 강화·경쟁력 강화 기반 조성을 축으로 한 단계적 법제 정비 방향을 제안한다. 결론적으로 중견기업을 중소기업·대기업 사이의 정책 사각지대가 아닌 독립된 경제주체의 기업군으로 재위치시키고, 범정부 차원에서 일관된 중견기업 정책을 추진하기 위해서는 선언적·대강적·체계적 기능을 갖춘 「중견기업기본법」의 제정과 이에 연계된 부속 입법의 정비가 필수적임을 주장한다. This article analyzes the structure and legislative development of the “Special Act on the Promotion of Growth and the Strengthening of Competitiveness of Middle-Standing Enterprises” (hereinafter the MSE Act) and aims to present the necessity and direction of enacting the “Framework Act on Middle-Standing Enterprises” that corresponds to the status and policy needs of middle-standing enterprises. To this end, it examines the concepts and historical background of legislative models such as framework acts, promotion acts, and special acts, with particular attention to debates on framework acts in Japan, and identifies the structural limitations arising from the coexistence of framework-act and individual-act elements within the MSE Act. It further compares the MSE Act with the “Framework Act on Small and Medium Enterprises” and points out that the MSE Act remains confined to partial support based on special provisions and thus fails to serve as a sufficiently robust legal foundation for middle-standing enterprise policy. The article then links the relevant constitutional provisions with the legislative purpose of the MSE Act, thereby examining the constitutional legitimacy of supporting middle-standing enterprises and the normative basis for enacting a framework act. Building on this, it proposes criteria concerning the charter-like nature, legislative purpose, timing of enactment, and system of subordinate legislation of a framework act, and suggests a stepwise direction for legal reform structured around the promotion of growth, the enhancement of innovation capacity, and the establishment of a foundation for strengthening competitiveness of middle-standing enterprises. In conclusion, the article argues that, in order to reposition middle-standing enterprises as an independent category of firms rather than a policy blind spot between small and medium-sized enterprises and large enterprises, and to implement coherent, government-wide policies for such enterprises, it is essential to enact the “Framework Act on Middle-Standing Enterprises” with both declaratory and systemic functions and to reorganize the accompanying subordinate legislation accordingly.

일본 정부의 중견기업 전략 「중견기업 성장 비전」 검토

권용수 ( Kwon Yongsu ) 한국중견기업학회 2025 중견기업연구 Vol.12 No.3

우리나라에서는 2023년 4월 중견기업법이 한시법에서 상시법으로 전환된 이후, 중견기업의 의의가 재조명되고 그 성장 지원 관점의 논의가 활발해지고 있다. 한편, 지역 소멸 등의 사회 문제가 심화하는 가운데, 지역에 기반을 두고 양질의 청년 일자리를 창출하는 중견기업의 역할에 대한 기대가 커지면서 중견기업 관련 논의가 한층 더 활발해지는 경향이 있다. 그러나 지금까지 중견기업에 관한 관심과 기초 연구가 부족했던 탓에 중견기업 지원의 전체상과 개별 쟁점에 관계된 체계적 연구가 제대로 이루어지지는 않고 있는 듯하다. 이러한 상황에서 이 논문은 향후 중견기업 연구에 이바지하는 것을 염두에 두고 최근 일본의 중견기업 관련 논의 동향을 소개하는 기초연구를 진행하였다. 최근 들어 일본 정부는 중견기업이 일본 경제 성장과 지역 소멸 등 사회 문제 해결에 이바지할 수 있다는 판단 아래, 중견기업 성장 지원에 적극적으로 임하고 있다. 2024년 2월 중견기업에 관한 법적 근거를 마련하였고, 2025년 2월 일본 최초의 중견기업 관련 국가 전략인 「중견기업 성장 비전」을 책정하였다. 해당 비전에서는 중견기업이 잠재력을 최대한 발휘하고, 기대되는 역할을 효과적으로 수행할 수 있도록 개별 쟁점에 관계된 과제와 대응 방안을 체계적으로 제시하였다. 특히, 중견기업의 성장을 단절 없이 지원하는 지속적 지원체제 구축에 관계된 쟁점(자금조달, 인재 확보, M&A, 이노베이션, 해외 진출, 전문가 활용, GX·DX 등)과 방향성을 체계적으로 제시하고 있는데, 이는 기업 규모별 지원과 규제를 달리하는 우리나라에 시사하는 바가 있다. 기업은 성장 단계(매출이나 종업원 규모, 창업 후 연수 등)나 경로(간접금융에 기초한 지속적 성장 또는 직접금융에 기초한 급진적 성장, 마케팅 주도 또는 혁신 주도 등)에 따라 경영과제와 성공 요인이 달라진다. 달리 말하면, 중소기업과 중견기업의 경영과제 등이 다르고, 개별 중견기업의 경영과제 등도 다르다는 것이다. 이것은 중견기업 고유의 경영과제, 나아가 중견기업 성장 단계별 및 성장 경로별 경영과제 등에 관한 체계적 연구의 필요성을 시사한다. 향후 이러한 연구가 활성화되길 기대한다. Since the Mid-Sized Enterprise Actin Korea was converted from a temporary statute to a permanent one in April 2023, renewed attention has been drawn to the significance of mid-sized enterprises, and discussions from the perspective of supporting their growth have become increasingly active. At the same time, as social issues such as regional depopulation intensify, expectations regarding the role of mid-sized enterprises―as regionally rooted firms that create quality jobs for young people―have grown, further accelerating related policy and academic debates. However, due to the previously limited interest in and foundational research on mid-sized enterprises, systematic studies that clarify the overall landscape of mid-sized enterprise support and address individual issues have yet to be sufficiently developed. Against this backdrop, this paper undertakes a preliminary study that introduces recent trends in discussions on mid-sized enterprises in Japan, with the aim of contributing to future research in this field. In recent years, the Japanese government has taken an increasingly proactive approach to supporting the growth of mid-sized enterprises, based on the view that such firms can contribute both to Japan's economic growth and to addressing social challenges such as regional depopulation. In February 2024, Japan established a legal basis for mid-sized enterprises, and in February 2025 it formulated the Growth Vision for Mid-Sized Enterprises, the country's first national strategy dedicated to this sector. The Vision systematically sets out the key issues affecting mid-sized enterprises and the corresponding policy responses, so that these firms can fully realize their potential and effectively fulfill their expected roles. In particular, it presents a coherent set of challenges and strategic directions related to building a continuous and uninterrupted support system for mid-sized enterprise growth―covering financing, talent acquisition, M&A, innovation, overseas expansion, professional support, and GX/DX, among others. This approach carries important implications for Korea, where support and regulation differ significantly by firm size. The managerial challenges and success factors faced by firms differ depending on their stage of growth―such as sales scale, number of employees, or years since founding―as well as their growth trajectory, whether it is continuous growth based on indirect financing or rapid expansion driven by direct financing, and whether it is marketing-led or innovation-led. In other words, the managerial challenges of SMEs differ from those of mid-sized enterprises, and even among mid-sized enterprises, the challenges vary from firm to firm. This highlights the need for systematic research on the distinctive managerial issues faced by mid-sized enterprises, as well as on the challenges that arise at different stages and along different pathways of their growth. It is hoped that future studies will advance in this direction.

중견기업의 특성이 산업별 고용성과에 미치는 영향 분석

전덕영 ( Jeon Deok-young ),윤병섭 ( Yoon Byung-seop ) 한국중견기업학회 2025 중견기업연구 Vol.12 No.3

본 연구의 목적은 기업집단 중견기업의 특성이 산업별로 고용성과에 미치는 영향을 분석하고자 한다. 2020년부터 2023년까지 공정거래위원회가 지정한 기업집단에 속한 중견기업과 대기업 1,853개 표본을 통해 제조업, 환경에너지업, 도소매업, 정보통신업, 서비스업의 산업별로 고용성과를 회귀 분석하였다. 첫째, 제조업에서 사업기간, 총자산, 부채비율, IPO는 종업원 수에 유의한 양(+)의 값이 있었다. 둘째, 환경에너지업에서 총자산, ROA는 종업원 수에 유의한 양(+)의 값이 있었고, 중견기업, ROE는 종업원 수에 유의한 음(-)의 값이 있는 것으로 나타났다. 셋째, 도소매업에서 부채비율, IPO는 종업원 수에 유의한 양(+)의 값이 있었고, 중견기업은 종업원 수에 유의한 음(-)의 값이 있는 것으로 나타났다. 넷째, 정보통신업에서 사업기간, 총자산, 부채비율은 종업원 수에 유의한 양(+)의 값이 있는 것으로 나타났다. 다섯째, 서비스업에서 총자산은 종업원 수에 유의한 양(+)의 값이 있는 것으로 나타났다. 여섯째, 중견기업에서 IPO, 총자산, 부채비율이 종업원 수에 유의한 양(+)의 값이 있었고, 대기업에서 IPO, 총자산, 제조업이 종업원 수에 유의한 양(+)의 값이 있는 것으로 나타났다. 일곱째, 중견기업에서 제조업x사업기간, 제조업x총자산은 종업원 수에 유의한 양(+)의 조절효과가 있으나, 대기업에서는 제조업x사업기간, 제조업x총자산이 종업원 수에 미치는 유의한 조절효과가 없는 것으로 나타났다. 본 연구결과, 중견기업은 IPO, 총자산, 부채비율 등의 요인이 고용성과에 유의한 긍정적인 영향이 있었고, 제조업과 사업기간, 제조업과 총자산이 상호작용할수록 고용성과에 유의한 긍정적인 조절효과가 있는 것으로 확인되었다. 본 연구의 학문적 기여는 국내연구에서 아직 충분히 다루어지지 않았던 기업집단 중견기업을 대상으로 고용성과에 미치는 영향요인을 실증분석했다는 점이다. 이 분석은 중견기업에서 총자산을 늘리고, 부채비율을 관리하며, 주식시장에 상장할수록 고용창출 또는 고용유지에 기여할 가능성이 높고, 제조업과 사업기간, 제조업과 총자산의 상호작용이 고용성과에 긍정적으로 작용함을 시사하였다. 따라서 본 연구는 기업집단 중견기업의 경제적 역할과 고용창출 능력에 대한 이해에 중요하게 기여할 것으로 판단된다. The purpose of this study is to analyze how the characteristics of middle market enterprises within business groups affect employment performance across different industries. Using a sample of 1,853 middle market enterprises and large enterprises affiliated with business groups designated by the Korea Fair Trade Commission from 2020 to 2023, the study conducted a regression analysis of employment performance (number of employees) by industry, including manufacturing, environmental energy, wholesale and retail, information and communication, and services. First, in the manufacturing industry, business period, total assets, debt-to-equity ratio, and Initial Public Offering (IPO) showed a significant positive (+) effect on the number of employees. Second, in the environmental energy industry, total assets and Return on Assets (ROA) showed a significant positive (+) effect on the number of employees, while being a middle market enterprise and Return on Equity (ROE) showed a significant negative (-) effect on the number of employees. Third, in the wholesale and retail industry, debt-to-equity ratio and IPO had a significant positive (+) effect on the number of employees, while being a middle market enterprise showed a significant negative (-) effect on the number of employees. Fourth, in the information and communication industry, business period, total assets, and debt-to-equity ratio had a significant positive (+) effect on the number of employees. Fifth, in the service industry, total assets had a significant positive (+) effect on the number of employees. Sixth, for middle market enterprises, IPO, total assets, and debt-to-equity ratio had a significant positive (+) effect on the number of employees, and for large enterprises, IPO, total assets, and the manufacturing industry dummy had a significant positive (+) effect on the number of employees. Seventh, for middle market enterprises, Manufacturing Industry × Business Period and Manufacturing Industry × Total Assets showed a significant positive (+) moderating effect on the number of employees. However, for large enterprises, Manufacturing Industry × Business Period, and Manufacturing Industry × Total Assets did not show a significant moderating effect on the number of employees. The results of this study show that factors such as IPO, total assets, and debt ratio have a significant positive impact on the employment performance of middle market enterprises. Furthermore, the interaction between manufacturing and business duration, as well as between manufacturing and total assets, was found to have a significant positive moderating effect on employment performance. The academic contribution of this study lies in its empirical analysis of factors affecting employment performance, specifically targeting middle market enterprises affiliated with corporate groups, a subject not yet sufficiently explored in domestic research. This analysis suggests that middle market enterprises are more likely to contribute to job creation or retention as they increase their total assets, manage their debt ratios, and list on the stock market. Additionally, it revealed that the interaction between Manufacturing Industry × Business Period and Manufacturing Industry × Total Assets positively influences employment performance. Therefore, this study is deemed to make a significant contribution to understanding the economic role and job creation capabilities of middle market enterprises within corporate groups.

중견기업 활성화를 위한 세제지원 - 일본의 사례와 비교 -

윤현석 ( Yoon Hyun Seok ) 한국중견기업학회 2024 중견기업연구 Vol.11 No.1

In the past, it was divided into small and medium-sized enterprises and large enterprises, and the middle-market Enterprises system was introduced as a temporary law. Since then, it has been converted from a temporary law to a permanent law. As a result, the corporate structure of ‘small and medium-sized enterprises, middle-market Enterprises, and large enterprises’ will be established in the future. However, there are still relatively many support measures centered on small and medium-sized enterprises in Korea. Therefore, they do not want to give up the support they enjoyed as small and medium-sized enterprises by becoming a middle-market Enterprises. Considering economic development and job creation as a whole, small and medium-sized enterprises must prepare incentives to grow into medium-sized enterprises. On the contrary, it is worth noting that the biggest reason for returning to small and medium-sized enterprises after becoming a medium-sized enterprises is the tax burden. Therefore, this study examined the situation of medium-sized enterprises under the current law and the contents of tax support for small and medium-sized enterprises and medium-sized enterprises. As a result, it can be seen that there are still many support measures for small and medium-sized enterprises in various areas. Under the current system, it will not be possible to find any special meaning other than that a new type of company, called a medium-sized enterprises, has been created between small and medium-sized enterprises and large companies. We looked at medium-sized enterprises in Japan as a country with similar legal systems to Korea. In Japan, a medium-sized enterprises system has recently been submitted to the National Assembly by referring to systems such as Korea. This introduces a new form of medium-sized enterprises in the classification of companies that were previously divided into small and medium-sized enterprises and large companies as in Korea. What is peculiar here is that less than 2000 employees are set as the standard for medium-sized enterprises while exceeding the number of small and medium-sized enterprises employees. This is noteworthy in that it was not a simple discussion, but was set in consideration of the relationship between labor productivity and the number of employees. Japan’s medium-sized enterprises system will also become more concrete. The problem of small and medium-sized enterprises not trying to grow into medium-sized enterprises like Korea is also considered a task. In addition, attention is being paid to how to grow medium-sized enterprises into large companies in consideration of the roles of small and medium-sized enterprises, middle-market enterprises, and large companies, and how to operate the middle-market enterprises system as a role to support the local economy. In Korea, the political direction should consider foreign institutions and at the same time consider how to improve the reality that is currently problematic in Korea to prepare a new middle-market enterprises legislation. At this time, the national tax support for research manpower development and facility investment for middle-market companies and the local government-level tax support for corporate research centers and factory relocation to regional areas are compared and reviewed with small and medium-sized companies to ensure that middle-market companies can settle down and grow well institutionally.

중견기업정책에 관한 법적 고찰

정주호 ( Jeong Ju-ho ) 한국중견기업학회 2024 중견기업연구 Vol.11 No.2

Medium-sized enterprises are considered essential to vitalize the corporate ecosystem from the perspective of industrial development and economic growth in our country. Accordingly, the Medium-sized Enterprises Act was enacted as a temporary law in 2014 and converted to a permanent law in 2023, and the legal status and status of medium-sized enterprises as the backbone and core of the industry connecting small and medium-sized enterprises and large corporations have been clarified, and medium-sized enterprise policies are also being widely implemented in various fields. Looking at the current government’s medium-sized enterprise policies, the policy goal is to actively foster medium-sized enterprises as the main players in overcoming the crisis of the real economy and establishing a strong industrial ecosystem. To this end, the government divides the medium-sized enterprise support policies into two major sectors, tax and business, and operates them broadly in accordance with the legal basis according to relevant laws and regulations, and covers various fields in terms of the scale and content of support. However, from the perspective of medium-sized enterprises using these, numerous support policies are scattered among specialized organizations and related institutions, making it difficult to connect each support policy and utilize it organically and systematically or to approach it systematically from a long-term perspective. In terms of legislation, the laws and regulations that support SMEs are scattered across various fields, and there is no law that systematically supports SMEs other than the SME Act that is currently in place. As a result, there is a growing concern that numerous SME support policies may not be established and implemented efficiently, or that even if they are supported, they may be ineffective. Therefore, in order for SMEs covering numerous industries from manufacturing to non-manufacturing to actively utilize support policies and increase their effectiveness, the support effects should be closely analyzed through the policy feedback process and preemptively reflected in the establishment and implementation of policies. In addition, it is necessary to substantially strengthen customized support policies by industry and growth cycle to ensure the sustainable growth of SMEs, and to improve the system by integrating and reorganizing the support systems of specialized SME organizations and related organizations that are scattered. Through this, practical and effective support for SMEs should be continuously strengthened. In the follow-up legislative discussions to expand and ensure effectiveness of mid-sized enterprise policies following the enactment of the Mid-sized Enterprises Act, it is believed that legislative review in the form of a special (promotion) law to systematically support mid-sized enterprises is necessary, taking into account this direction of institutional improvement.

한국 중견기업정책의 비전과 발전방안

표정호 ( Jeong-ho Pyo ) 한국중견기업학회 2011 중견기업연구 Vol.2 No.2

This study is focused on the problems and the reality of the Korea Strong Medium Enterprises(KSME), and the policies to develop the KSME were suggested. KSME have been left off the list for support and protection under the dichotomous perception, the support for small enterprises and the restriction on major enterprises, which leads to the severe weakness of the KSME in quantity as well as in quality. In addition, they have been faced with difficulties to achieve a new growth power and human resources, to secure the market, and to give birth to a new technology. Considering that the KSME contribute toward the creation of jobs and exports relatively more than their proportion, they are expected to play an important role potentially in the development of the nation's economy. The reasons of the current status and the features were studied according to four sections, institutional factors, social factors, the enterpriser's own problem, and the protection of major enterprises. According to the analysis on the reasons, several measures including the system renovation for promoting the growth to KSME, the innovative capability reinforcement of KSME, and the construction of the infrastructure to support KSME, were suggested to accomplish the specific goals like the annual number of medium enterprises, the number of World Class Leader enterprises, and the number of created jobs, under the policy vision that the international trade amount of two trillion dollars and the GDP per capita of forty thousand dollars would be accomplished by the growth of KSME.

「중견기업법」 상시화에 따른 중견기업 관련 법제 개선방향

최선규 ( Cheo Seon-kyu ) 한국중견기업학회 2024 중견기업연구 Vol.11 No.2

Until the 2010s in Korea, companies were classified into small and medium-sized enterprises or large corporations due to the dichotomous classification system of Small and Medium Enterprises and Large Enterprises, and government policies also viewed Small and Medium Enterprises as the subject of protection or support and Large Enterprises as the subject of regulation. Due to this dichotomous classification system and policy, there was also a phenomenon called Peter Pan syndrome, which does not want to escape from Small and Medium Enterprises. The middle of the transition from Small and Medium Enterprises to Large Enterprises can be said to be Middle-Standing Enterprises, and as part of efforts to build an industrial ecosystem leading to Small and Medium Enterprises → Middle-Standing Enterprises → Large Enterprises, the definition of Middle-Standing Enterprises was first introduced in the 「Industrial Development Act」 in 2011, and the 「Special Act On The Promotion Of Growth And The Strengthening Of Competitiveness Of Middle-Standing Enterprises」 was enacted in January 2014 and implemented as a 10-year temporary law in July of the same year, providing a legal basis for Middle-Standing Enterprises policy and support. Currently, awareness of the function of Middle-Standing Enterprises as economic support in the industrial ecosystem, partner companies of Large Enterprises, and demand companies of Small and Medium Enterprises has spread, and the 「Special Act On The Promotion Of Growth And The Strengthening Of Competitiveness Of Middle-Standing Enterprises」 was regularized in April 2023. According to Article 2 No. 1 of 「Special Act On The Promotion Of Growth And The Strengthening Of Competitiveness Of Middle-Standing Enterprises」, Middle-Standing Enterprises are not Small and Medium Enterprises, cross-investment-restricted business groups, public institutions, or local public enterprises, and other companies whose equity ownership or investment relationship meets the standards prescribed by the Presidential Decree, thus this is recognized as the backbone of the industrial and corporate ecosystem that supports the business activities of Large Enterprises and Small and Medium Enterprises, such as the core corporate groups that determine our industrial competitiveness, the creation of youth jobs and quality jobs. The present, the 「Special Act On The Promotion Of Growth And The Strengthening Of Competitiveness Of Middle-Standing Enterprises」 has played a role in building a virtuous cycle of industrial ecosystem leading to Small and Medium Enterprises → Middle-Standing Enterprises → Large Enterprises, but it does not reflect the changed industrial ecosystem as well as the changed mid-sized industry’s position over the past 10 years since the law was made. Therefore, it is time to consider the revision of the 「Special Act On The Promotion Of Growth And The Strengthening Of Competitiveness Of Middle-Standing Enterprises」 in line with the times and consider it to become a growth-oriented law that allows mid-sized companies to grow into Small and Medium Enterprises, Middle-Standing Enterprises, Large Enterprises without conflicting with 「Special Act On The Promotion Of Growth And The Strengthening Of Competitiveness Of Middle-Standing Enterprises」.

중견기업법상 중견기업의 범위 및 지원방식에 대한 검토

곽관훈 ( Kwak¸ Kwan-hoon ) 한국중견기업학회 2023 중견기업연구 Vol.10 No.1

For the sustainable development of Middle-Standing Enterprises, legal and institutional support is necessary. The Korean government has also improved various support systems and related laws since around 2010. For example, the Middle-Standing Enterprises Act, which can be said to be the basic law for Middle-Standing Enterprises, provides financial support, tax reductions and exemptions, and special cases regarding fairness of entrusted and entrusted transactions. Because Middle-Standing Enterprises, are important, the Middle-Standing Enterprises, Act was enacted in 2014. It was difficult to expect the growth of mid-sized companies only with the provisions of the Industrial Development Act. The Middle-Standing Enterprises Act created in this way contributed to the growth of Middle-Standing Enterprises. However, with the introduction of the Middle-Standing Enterprises Act as a 10-year limited law, the limitations were clear. To solve these problems, the Middle-Standing Enterprises Act was recently changed into a standing law. With the regularization of Middle-Standing Enterprises Act, Middle-Standing Enterprises have also been recognized as legal entities. This paper aims to review the future tasks of the Middle-Standing Enterprises Act. In particular, we would like to examine the issues related to the scope of Middle-Standing Enterprises and the support methods for Middle-Standing Enterprises.

스타트업과 중견기업의 동반성장 관점에서 본 CVC의 쟁점

권용수 ( Kwon Yong-su ) 한국중견기업학회 2023 중견기업연구 Vol.10 No.3

Corporation Venture Capital(CVC) can be defined as an investment in startups conducted by mid-sized and large companies or major companies in a specific field and sector for strategic and financial purposes. These CVCs are attracting attention from startups as well as mid-sized and large companies that aim for innovation as an effective means of open innovation. In recent years, companies’ interest in CVC has increased, and the importance of CVC in creating a global venture capital market and an innovative ecosystem has increased, resulting in many changes in domestic trends surrounding CVC. Representatively, the “Monopoly Regulation and Fair Trade Act” was revised to allow the establishment of CVC in general holding companies. Since the revision of the law, the CVC system within the general holding company system has been settled fairly quickly in Korea, and it has also contributed to the creation of venture investment demand to some extent. However, ① some CVC-related regulations have been confirmed to have room for review, such as limiting the borrowing limit to 200% and setting the proportion of internal investment to more than 60% at the time of CVC establishment. In addition, ② problems such as (i) how to boost investment in early companies with less than three years of experience, and (ii) how to realize an appropriate relationship between CVC and startups with power imbalance are revealed. In this regard, this paper focused on the task of “②(ii)” which has yet to show systematic review and results based on it, despite its significance in terms of promoting startup investment by CVC and qualitative growth of venture ecosystems.