"Supporting Digital Transformation for Small Businesses"... Technical Assistance for Over 5,500 Workplaces

'Smart Sangjeom Technology Dissemination Project' Announcement
245 Billion KRW National Funding Support This Year
Pilot Support for Serving Robot Introduction Planned

Visitors are exploring various kiosks at the Smart Store · Retail Expo held at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. Photo by Kim Hyunmin kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bo-kyung] The government is set to actively promote a project to distribute smart technologies to 5,500 small business stores in response to the non-face-to-face and digital era.

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced the 24.5 billion KRW 'Smart Store Technology Distribution Project' to provide smart technologies to small business establishments, and will accept applications from shopping districts and industry-specific associations until the 18th of next month.

The plan is to focus on discovering smart technologies suitable for management and service innovation and support about 5,500 small business owners to promote their digital transformation.

Priority recruitment will target shopping districts and industry-specific associations where small business owners are concentrated. Next month, applications will be accepted from individual small business owners, expanding support to those not belonging to shopping districts or industry-specific associations.

Selected shopping districts and industry-specific association small business owners will receive up to 5 million KRW (with a 70% limit of national funding). Leading smart stores adopting multiple smart technologies will receive up to 15 million KRW (for 30 stores, with a 70% limit of national funding).

In cases where high-priced equipment such as serving robots is to be introduced, pilot rental and lease support will also be promoted.

Detailed information can be found on the websites of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups and the Small Enterprise and Market Service.