Recruitment of Resident Companies at Yongsan-gu Social Economy Support Center

[Seoul District News] Yongsan-gu Recruiting Companies for 5 Offices with Lease Expiring from June 7 to 10... Dongjak-gu Fully Supports Social Economy Enterprises' Online Sales... Jung-gu Supports 200 Dongdaemun Market Wholesale Businesses' Online Expansion... Seongbuk-gu Extends Housing Lease Contract Reporting Grace Period by 1 Year Notice

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Yongsan-gu (District Mayor Seong Jang-hyun) is publicly recruiting resident companies for the Social Economy Support Center, which operates to expand the base of the social economy.

The district's Social Economy Support Center (46 Dokseodang-ro) is located on the basement first floor of a mixed-use residential and commercial building (Hannam I-Park Avenue). The facility covers an area of 576.73㎡ (175 pyeong) and includes offices for resident companies (8 rooms), an education room, meeting rooms, and a pantry as shared spaces.

The district is recruiting companies to occupy five offices whose lease periods have expired (or are about to expire) from June 7 to 10, a period of four days. The office sizes vary from 26.57㎡ to 52.12㎡.

The center also houses the Social Economy Integrated Support Center, which provides support ranging from education and consulting to market development and promotional marketing to strengthen company capabilities.

The lease period is one year, and it can be extended up to five years through evaluation. The cost of occupancy varies depending on the area, and tenants must prepay the annual rent and two months' management fees (about 300,000 KRW) and pay management fees monthly. Utility charges are separate.

Applicants must have at least two full-time employees and be located in Yongsan-gu or be able to relocate their main business site to Yongsan-gu within three months after moving in.

Companies wishing to move in should complete the application form and company introduction and visit the Job Economy Division on the 5th floor of Yongsan-gu Office. After screening, the selected companies will be announced on June 17 on the district office website.

The selection criteria include ▲ the representative's capability, qualifications, and understanding of the social economy ▲ contributions to the local community and plans for providing social services ▲ financial performance such as sales and operating profit and potential for sustainable growth ▲ location in Yongsan-gu and employment status of paid workers.

Seong Jang-hyun, Mayor of Yongsan-gu, said, "We hope many companies engaged in business activities pursuing social values that align with the public interest will show interest."

Dongjak-gu (District Mayor Lee Chang-woo) is launching comprehensive support to strengthen the competitiveness and self-sustainability of social economy enterprises.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the non-face-to-face consumption culture has rapidly expanded, increasing the importance of online market development. The district analyzed that social economy enterprises, many of which are small businesses, would face difficulties adapting to changes in consumer culture and sought support measures through active participation in public contests.

As a result, in March, Dongjak-gu was the only autonomous district in Seoul selected for the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's '2022 Social Economy Public-Private Collaboration System Establishment Project' contest, followed by selection in the Ministry of Employment and Labor's '2022 Social Economy Regional Specialization Project' contest, successfully securing project funding.

The district will first provide Naver Smart Store entry and online marketing education for social economy enterprises unfamiliar with e-commerce. The program includes ▲ analysis of search ranking strategies linked to Naver Smart Store ▲ promotional marketing education using SNS channels ▲ small group content consulting by company type.

Additionally, to create revenue models through solidarity among social economy organizations in the region, an integrated online shopping mall will be launched. The district will support operating costs associated with the online store and conduct ▲ joint live commerce ▲ Naver keyword search advertising ▲ KakaoTalk targeted advertising ▲ discount events to enhance competitiveness.

Considering the recent increase in outdoor activities, offline events are also planned. In the second half of this year, a 'Social Economy Market (Flea Market)' selling products from local social economy enterprises is being prepared.

The district supports collaborative product development to secure the self-sustainability of social economy organizations. Participants will be recruited in the second half of the year, and up to 15 million KRW in project development funds will be granted to three final teams.

Participating teams will receive step-by-step consulting at each stage: ▲ product development plan design ▲ prototype production ▲ minimum viable product stage ▲ final product inspection, supporting advanced product development.

For detailed information on social economy enterprise support, inquiries can be made to the Economic Promotion Division.

A district official said, "We hope this support project will strengthen solidarity among social economy organizations and enhance their self-sustainability. We will continue to do our best to establish policies for revitalizing the social economy."

Jung-gu has started support to strengthen online sales channels for merchants in Dongdaemun traditional market, the hub of K-fashion.

Since last year, the district has been conducting various support projects for market development, including online store establishment and live commerce education for Dongdaemun traditional market merchants.

This year, Jung-gu is partnering with the fashion wholesale and retail platform 'Shinsang Market' to help 200 Dongdaemun fashion wholesale companies enter the online distribution market.

First, support will be provided for entry and operation of the Shinsang Market online store. Shinsang Market offers a free studio shooting service for product sales content production. Additionally, monthly discount coupons for Shinsang Studio shooting will be provided.

At Jung-gu Dongdaemun Buyer Lounge, connections between wholesalers and domestic and international buyers will be facilitated, along with showroom provision for product display and live commerce production support.

Applicants will also have opportunities for model cut shooting and participation in Dongdaemun fashion magazines.

Furthermore, plans include supporting overseas export channels such as connecting to Japanese B2B (business-to-business) channels and global B2C (business-to-consumer) sales.

Companies wishing to participate can submit applications via the QR code on the information poster by June 10. Any Dongdaemun merchant can apply. Selection results will be individually notified to companies.

For more details, inquiries can be made to Jung-gu Traditional Market Division or the Buyer Lounge on the 4th floor of Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP).

A district official stated, "We hope this support project will provide new opportunities for Dongdaemun merchants struggling in the rapidly changing distribution environment and serve as a stepping stone for the Dongdaemun commercial district, the center of K-fashion, to make a comeback."

Seongbuk-gu announced that the guidance period for the housing lease contract reporting system, which was scheduled to end at the end of May, has been extended by one year until May 31, 2023.

The housing lease contract reporting system, implemented from June 1 last year to increase transparency in the rental market and protect tenants' rights, mandates reporting key contract details within 30 days of contract signing for housing lease contracts with deposits exceeding 60 million KRW or monthly rent exceeding 300,000 KRW.

To ease the burden on citizens, accommodate local government administrative conditions, and allow stable system establishment due to the typical two-year lease contract period and contract timing, the guidance period has been extended by one year, operating a total of two years from June 1, 2021, to May 31, 2023.

A Seongbuk-gu official said, "We will actively promote voluntary reporting of unreported cases since the system's implementation to ensure stable establishment and increase the reporting rate."