IBK Industrial Bank Donates IBK Hope Design Talent at Gurye 5-Day Market

Supporting Commercial Area Revitalization Through Signboard Production and Installation for 157 Flood-Damaged Stores

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Min-young] IBK Industrial Bank has taken steps to revive local markets that have been hit hard by the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and heavy rains.

Through its ‘IBK Hope Design’ project, IBK announced on the 7th that it plans to support the production of storefront signs and the improvement of market environments for shops in the Gurye 5-Day Market in Jeollanam-do. To this end, it signed a business agreement with Gurye County and the Gurye 5-Day Market Merchants Association on the 28th of last month.

IBK Hope Design is a social contribution project where the IBK Design Management Team donates their talents to design and produce signs and B.I for small business owners free of charge, while also improving the environment of alleyway markets. Since its inception in 2016, it has supported 103 small business owners.

IBK plans to produce and install storefront signs for 157 shops within the Gurye 5-Day Market by the end of September to support the overall improvement of the market environment.

An IBK official stated, “We plan to expedite the schedule for the holiday season,” adding, “We decided to support the Gurye 5-Day Market to revitalize the commercial district densely populated by traditional small merchants who have suffered increased damage due to COVID-19 and recent heavy rains.”

Meanwhile, since April, IBK has been replacing outdated signs and improving the alley environment for shops in the Socks Alley of Daesin-dong, Daegu, with plans to complete the work by October. Daegu was designated as a special disaster area due to COVID-19, and thus was selected as a target area for IBK Hope Design.

President Yoon Jong-won said, “This is part of our efforts to provide practical help to small business owners struggling with ongoing crises such as COVID-19 and heavy rains,” and added, “We will continue to promote social contribution activities that coexist with local small business owners, like IBK Hope Design.”