Minister Park, Actor Park Sang-won & Creator Daedoseogwan Attend ‘Merry K-MAS Secret Santa’ Campaign
“Amount Not Large but Preparing Support Measures for Shared Burden”
Minister of SMEs and Startups Park Young-sun is touring the Samcheong-ro area in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 22nd to carry out the 'Secret Santa' campaign, which offers comfort to small business owners struggling due to COVID-19. Photo by Moon Ho-nam munonam@
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] “We are planning financial support similar to the New Hope Fund before Chuseok for small business owners struggling due to business suspension and operation restrictions.”
On the 22nd, Park Young-sun, Minister of SMEs and Startups, made this statement while attending the ‘Merry K-MAS Secret Santa’ campaign in the Samcheong-dong area of Jongno-gu, Seoul, offering comfort to small business owners facing difficulties due to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).
At the campaign, actor Park Sang-won and YouTube creator Daedoseogwan (real name Na Dong-hyun) participated as Secret Santas and spent time listening to the hardships of small business owners through a live broadcast.
Additionally, together with ‘Dilly,’ the delivery robot introduced by Baedal Minjok, they visited cafes, restaurants, and craft shops struggling due to COVID-19 and presented 100 Christmas gift items selected by the public, including handmade medicines and Santa masks, to the small business owners.
The first restaurant visited by Minister Park and the Secret Santas had no customers due to the recent ban on gatherings of five or more people. The shop owner, Yoon Seong-ae, said, “This week is usually the busiest time of the year, but since there are no customers, I sent half of my staff on leave. Recently, we started delivery orders, which has eased the situation a bit. However, it would be best if customers visited the store, but these days, whether many come or none come, it’s a complicated feeling.”
The second stop was a craft shop, which was also quiet. The brand’s representative, Lee Gi-yeon, told Minister Park, “Until three years ago, sales were good, but the decrease in foreign tourists, traffic problems, and COVID-19 have hit us hard, and now we are barely surviving.” He added, “Since Samcheong-dong is an area with many cultural assets, 60% of sales come from foreign tourists. Support from the Ministry of SMEs and Startups is needed to revitalize the local commercial district, which consists mostly of small business owners, including addressing parking issues.”
The last visit was to a cafe owned by Noh Hong-seung. When Minister Park asked about the number of customers per day, he said, “If one or two customers come a day, I consider it fortunate. Since the store is located in an alley up the stairs rather than on the main street, there are almost no visitors.” He continued, “When social distancing was raised to level 2, we closed the store for two weeks, and now we operate only during the day. Recently, we are also considering delivery orders.”
During the conversation with these small business owners, Minister Park said, “We are preparing to provide support funds for businesses subject to operation restrictions and gathering bans by January next year. First, we want you to get through one month with this, and for those who find it impossible to endure, we are planning a second phase of support.”
He added, “Although the amount is not large, it is prepared with the intention of sharing the pain together. I encourage all small business owners to stay strong, and our Ministry of SMEs and Startups will do its best.”
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