Naver and Kakao Lead Support for Small Business Owners

Discussing the 'Project Kkot' (from left) CEO Choi Su-yeon, Professor Kim Do-hyun of Kookmin University, Professor Mo Jong-rin of Yonsei University

[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] Naver and Kakao have rolled up their sleeves to support small business owners.

According to the IT industry on the 3rd, Naver is focusing on supporting local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and traditional markets through its core campaign 'Project Kkot' (Project Flower).

Recently, Naver CEO Suyeon Choi personally stepped forward. At a discussion on the growth direction of 'Project Kkot' attended by employees and experts, CEO Choi stated, "SMEs and creators are the most important partners in Naver's global expansion process," adding, "We will support them so that their capabilities and products can be equipped with brand assets."

As Naver is expanding its global presence by leading commerce and content businesses, it emphasized its commitment to co-growth with small business owners and creators on its platform.

CEO Choi decided to expand support for Project Kkot, including strengthening the brand capabilities of small business owners and creators. She said, "When platform companies gain social influence and responsibility, Project Kkot has been recognized for its sincerity and value," adding, "We are considering ways for Project Kkot to grow further in line with social expectations."

CEO Choi also mentioned that Project Kkot is positively influencing Naver's corporate culture. She said, "Employees' pride in the company and self-esteem in their work come from feeling that their work has a positive impact on society, which is the identity of Project Kkot," adding, "It has the greatest influence on Naver's work culture. We will strive to help employees take greater pride."

Kakao has launched support for small business owners' digital marketing.

Kakao announced that the amount paid through the 'Kakao Soshin Sangin Support Benefits,' which started on the 3rd of last month, has exceeded 5 billion KRW. The number of small business owners who received the support amount reaches about 17,000.

Kakao's Soshin Sangin Support Benefits is a win-win activity that supports the cost of sending channel messages so that small business owners nationwide can secure regular customers and conduct marketing using KakaoTalk channels. Any individual or corporate business owner with an annual sales revenue of 1 billion KRW or less based on National Tax Service reports can apply.

After receiving applications, Kakao conducts screening and supports an amount that allows sending about 10,000 to 20,000 KakaoTalk channel messages. If a business owner has about 1,000 friends, they can send messages once a month for over a year.

Park Yunseok, head of Kakao's Small Business Win-Win TF, said, "We confirmed high interest from small business owners who hesitated due to the cost and accessibility issues of digital marketing," adding, "We plan to create a long-term win-win program that continuously supports more small business owners by reflecting various opinions in the future."