Hoping “my dreams come true”
.Hoping “my dreams come true”
M.view Global builds a large sanitary pad factory in Paraguay in pursuit of deepening bilateral relations
For South Korea, which has continued its rapid economic development since the financial crisis, small and medium enterprises are the linchpin of the Korean economy in the midst of the continued Coronavirus outbreak. Countless SMEs form the healthy heart of the Korean economy and the source of economic development.
The Korea Post interviewed Kim Dong-wook, CEO of M.view Global, to hear about his vision and dreams of becoming a leading company in the global market.
The M.view Global Co., Ltd. was established in the Donghae Free Trade Zone in August 2015. It specializes in making sanitary pads and facial masks which are authenticated by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.
It is a No. 1 mask manufacturer in terms of online sales.
The reason why M.view Global’s women's items are drawing attention from the public is because of CEO Kim's unusual management philosophy. CEO Kim Dong-wook, who had engaged in the distribution business for 20 years, set up Donghae Diaper in 2015 to make sanitary pads to help women who had suffered from sanitary pad problems.
M.view Global is a proud small Korean firm that is taking a strong step forward by establishing a foothold in Africa based on the manufacturing technology of sanitary products, including medical supplies such as sanitary pads and masks, as well as well as potential markets such as Southeast Asia and Latin America.
CEO Kim said M.view Global would put people and nature first. “We are a real social enterprise that puts health before corporate profits,” he stressed. Global warming, climate change, and environmental pollution are the most serious problems facing the world today. “M.view Global’s environmental management policy calls for strenuous efforts by all employees to utilize resources efficiently and to minimize environmental pollution by developing eco-friendly products,” CEO Kim said.
Brief Company History
2016 M.view Global signed MOUs with firms of Vietnam and Thailand/ imported sanitary pad machinery facility in December
- 2017 Exported sanitary pads to China & Eastern United States
- 2018 Set up European corporation, Bornstar Co., Ltd.
- 2018 May Donated sanitary pads for Buddhist nuns, Myanmar, (400,000 packs)
- 2018 December Donated sanitary pads for low-income women in Africa (200,000 packs)
- 2018 December Received a citation from Gangwon-do governor
- 2019 July Became first chairman of the newly created Korea-Paraguay Businessmen's Association
- 2019 December Completed construction of a local plant in Paraguay (2,000 pyeong)
- 2020 February Donated sanitary pads for low-income women in Gongju (worth 20 million won)
- 2020 February Donated sanitary pads for low-income women in South Africa (10,000 packs)
- 2020 March Funding were underway for establishing a 5 billion-won joint venture with South Africa's ntombam, a manufacturing company.
Korea's key technology was demonstrated in Paraguay, the heart of Central and South America. Paraguay is twice the size of Korea but has a population of only 7 million. Economic growth is 20 to 25 years behind Korea, while presenting a relatively favorable investment environment in taxes, labor laws, and power costs.
M.view-Global CEO Kim said he have traveled to five Latin American markets in 2016 before exploring Paraguay's potential.
CEO Kim said it deemed difficult to do business in Brazil and Argentina because logistics costs could spike due to insufficient transportation infrastructure, with the dollar not stable and no trains, along with protectionism. While conducting a thorough preliminary review of the competitive advantages of investment destinations and looking for a place where Korean small and medium-sized enterprises can succeed, he picked Paraguay as his business partner country. He noted Paraguay had no diplomatic relationship with China, while maintaining diplomatic ties with the U.S. and the dollar remains stable.
Moreover, Paraguay operates the world's largest hydroelectric power plant, which operates 24 hours a day, and he has paid more than 10 visits to Paraguay over the next four years from 2015 to 2018 after learning about the advantage of no tariffs between Latin America countries. In addition, Kim said he was able to make stable investment in Paraguay after he talked with Myeong Se-bong, president of the Korean Department Store, Terra Nova, about investment environments in Paraguay.
In December 2019, Kim dedicated a 2,000-pyeong (6,600 sq. meters) sanitary pad factory in the logistics complex of large companies. He once showed his sanitary pads to Paraguayan First Lady Silvana López Moreira. “Seeing our products, the first lady pledged to extend strong support to our business,” Kim said. He also met with Ritz Creamer, Minister of Industry and Trade, and Gustavo Volpe, Chairman of the Federation of Korean Industries, and was given assurances that they would extend state-level support to the sanitary pad plant.
In July this year, the governor of Gangwon-do Province, Paraguayan President Mario Abdo Benítez and First Lady Moreira were due to attend a dedication ceremony, but the arrival of machinery facilities has been delayed until next year due to the coronavirus outbreak. Although masks are products which are made with Korean capital and technology in a large-scale logistics complex, CEO Kim said, “We promise to take over the Latin American market with Made in Paraguay products.”
Korea donates Covid-19 PCR kits to Paraguay
The Korean government has provided 250,000 dollars worth of PCR diagnostic kits (22,700 tests) in humanitarian aid as part of Paraguay's quarantine efforts amid the virus outbreak. The delivery ceremony of the diagnostic kits was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Paraguay, on May 22.
Korean Ambassador to Paraguay Woo In-shik, Paraguay Foreign Minister Antonio Rivas, Health and Welfare Minister Julio Mazzoleni attended the donation ceremony,
Korean Ambassador to Paraguay Woo In-shik, Paraguay Foreign Minister Antonio Rivas, Health and Welfare Minister Julio Mazzoleni attended the donation ceremony. About 5,000 masks donated by M.view Global to the Paraguayan government were also delivered at the ceremony.
Prior to the delivery of the Covid-19 relief items, Ambassador Woo In-shik stressed the need for the world unite based on mutual trust and engagement to overcome the virus crisis. Regarding the Corona 19 response, the envoy said Korea will continue efforts to expand bilateral cooperation in various areas, including health, economy and education by sharing Korea's quarantine experience and knowledge as well as through humanitarian aid.
In response, Health and Welfare Minister Julio Mazzoleni stressed that the world values Korea's Corona response as a model case, and said he was especially pleased to receive diagnostic kits and masks, which are considered a major success factor in Korea's quarantine policy. In addition, he thanked the Korean government and the people for their support, saying it would be very helpful for Paraguay's response to the Covid-19.
Foreign Minister Antonio Livas also thanked the Korean government and its people for their cooperation and solidarity, saying, "Korea has responded quickly to Paraguay's request for aid despite countries around the world have suffered difficulties to cope with the Covid-19 outbreak.”
CEO’s Vision
As he has experienced the transformation of small and medium-sized enterprises in Korea into large companies in the 60s and 70s, CEO Kim pledged to realize the possibility in Paraguay, Latin America. Starting with Paraguay's first sanitary pad production plant, he said he wanted to grow into a large company with local job creation, and if income was generated in that country, he would like to distribute it there and become a company that benefits from that country.
CEO Kim said he wants to see a Korea industrial complex created in Paraguay to aid small and medium-sized enterprises that are not competitive in Korea. He stressed that Korean small businesses could transfer Korean technology and skills to Paraguay in order to take the lead in exploring overseas markets.
Finally, CEO Kim Dong-wook said, "I think people who pursue truthfulness in the midst of current difficulties and inconveniences should be respected. As an ordinary Korean citizen, I want to spread my dream in a land with great potential for development. I want to stress that a country does not teach ordinary people how to become a big company.” "We need to find an opportunity. In the 60s and 70s, we lived in an uncomfortable life, and life in Paraguay will be inconvenient in the future, but there is a vision and a future, so I can see my dreams come true," he said.
