Homeplus Opens 'Sangsaeng Sikdang' to Support Low-Income Self-Reliance One After Another

[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] Homeplus is helping to open a ‘Self-Support Work Project Group’ that supports the independence and growth of low-income groups in the region and provides jobs.

Homeplus announced on the 1st that it opened ‘Dal-in’s Jjimdak’ in the food court of the Gyeongsan branch and, in connection with the Korea Self-Support Welfare Development Institute, provides jobs to low-income people belonging to the Gyeongbuk Gyeongsan Regional Self-Support Center and supports their independence.

The newly introduced store is presented in the form of a brand store that has signed a business agreement with local self-support centers in connection with the Korea Self-Support Welfare Development Institute entering Homeplus stores. Previously, in September, the rice noodle specialty store ‘Wolmyeonga’ was opened as a self-support work project group in the food court of the Homeplus Andong branch.

The on-site store operation of these self-support work project groups is directly managed by low-income people or those in need of self-support belonging to local self-support centers. Accordingly, store workers can lay the foundation for self-support and independence by acquiring skills and securing competitiveness.

Homeplus plans to continue expanding win-win restaurants in connection with self-support centers under the Korea Self-Support Welfare Development Institute in major regions in the future.

Yoo Mingyu, a buyer of the Mall Food and Beverage Team 1 at Homeplus, said, “In the recent market situation where the economy has contracted due to COVID-19, this is a ‘win-win’ model of mutual growth that creates jobs in each region in connection with public institutions while helping the independence and growth of low-income groups, and at the same time, Homeplus can solve vacant spaces in stores.” He added, “We have greatly relaxed the entry conditions compared to existing food courts to support the self-support work project groups as much as possible.”