Joo Bong-hwan, President of the Small Enterprise and Market Service (left), is visiting the Wonju Small Business Support Center in Gangwon Province to review the status of financial support for COVID-19 damage with officials.
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daeseop] The Small Enterprise and Market Service (SEMAS) announced on the 9th that it has deployed a total of 41 additional support personnel to small business support centers nationwide to help overcome the damages caused by the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).
The additional support personnel dispatched on this day will carry out tasks such as issuing confirmation certificates for support eligibility and responding to civil complaints to facilitate the rapid provision of emergency management stabilization funds for COVID-19 damages.
As the spread of COVID-19 continues, loan applications for emergency stabilization funds have surged. As of the 6th, the total amount of applications received by SEMAS reached 2.9849 trillion KRW. The number of applications was recorded at 57,235 cases.
The COVID-19 emergency management stabilization fund loans are provided in the form of indirect loans through banks. After obtaining a policy fund support eligibility confirmation certificate from the small business support centers nationwide, applicants receive a guarantee from the regional credit guarantee foundation depending on collateral or support through credit and real estate collateral evaluations by banks.
Currently, 21 personnel at the SEMAS headquarters have formed an online response task force (TF) team for policy funds to assist with civil complaint responses regarding online certificate issuance and support procedures both online and offline.
On the same day, SEMAS Director Cho Bonghwan visited the Wonju Center in Gangwon, which was within the movement path of a confirmed COVID-19 case. The Wonju Center was temporarily closed on the 28th of last month and completed disinfection work. At that time, the employees were placed under a 14-day self-quarantine, and since the 4th of this month, staff from the regional headquarters and other areas have been operating the Wonju Center.
Director Cho said, "Since small business owners are suffering significant damages due to COVID-19, both the Ministry of SMEs and Startups and SEMAS have a strong will to actively support the current situation. We will consider various measures with the Ministry of SMEs and Startups to ensure fast and smooth support and will continue efforts to resolve inconveniences early."
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