The American Chamber of Commerce in Korea on Tuesday hosted the AmCham SME Collaboration Forum in Seoul to explore diverse collaboration opportunities between global companies and Korean small and medium-sized businesses in the evolving field of artificial intelligence.

Several key government officials from South Korea and the US, including Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo of the ruling People Power Party, and Andrew Gately, minister counselor for commercial affairs from the US Embassy in Seoul, attended the event.

Korea's SMEs and Startups Minister Lee Young also joined the event via a video link.

Under the theme “Expanding SME horizon toward connected AIoT Ecosystem,” this year's discussions focused on forging partnerships and seeking mutual growth between Korean SMEs and US tech giant Qualcomm in the area of artificial intelligence of things -- the combination of AI and the Internet of Things infrastructure to enhance human-machine interactions and data management and analytics.

“With a dedicated approach to our mission, AmCham is determined to facilitate enhanced business opportunities for SMEs in both the US and Korea,” AmCham Chairman and CEO James Kim said in his opening remarks.

“AmCham stands ready to support both governments in driving inclusive economic development and fostering innovation on a global scale. We will continue working closely with industry partners to create an environment conducive to doing business for both SMEs and MNCs.”