Gwangjin-gu Operates 'Small Business One-Stop Comprehensive Support Center'... Songpa-gu and Songpa Police Hospital Provide One-Stop Care from Discharge to Home

[Seoul District News] Gwangjin-gu Signs Business Agreement for ‘One-Stop Comprehensive Support Center for Small Business Owners’ Gwangjin-gu Chamber of Commerce, Seoul Credit Guarantee Foundation, and Small Enterprise Market Promotion Corporation Join Hands ... Songpa-gu Signs ‘Discharged Patient Care SOS Center Business Agreement’ with Police Hospital to Build a Robust Welfare System ... Dongdaemun-gu Job Center Operates Weekly ‘Visiting Job Counseling Office’ from October to November ... Gangnam-gu Runs ‘Gangnam Pavilion’ at Seoul International Sourcing Fair to Fully Support SME Market Expansion ... Jongno-gu Provides Low-Interest Loans Worth 2.35 Billion KRW for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Gwangjin-gu (District Mayor Kim Kyung-ho) signed a business agreement on the 28th to establish a ‘One-stop Comprehensive Support Center for Small Business Owners’ aimed at providing customized information and building a comprehensive support system for small business owners.

The agreement ceremony was attended by Gwangjin-gu, responsible for supporting small business owners, Gwangjin-gu Chamber of Commerce, Seoul Credit Guarantee Foundation, and Small Enterprise and Market Service. The four organizations joined hands to seek one-stop customized support measures for small business owners through organic cooperation.

One of the pledges of the 8th elected administration, the ‘One-stop Comprehensive Support Center for Small Business Owners’ will be a dedicated institution providing customized services according to the management stages of small business owners (startup-growth-restart) and will be established in the district office’s local economy division.

Until now, support services for small business owners were divided by institution, causing confusion for merchants in need of help. However, from now on, various support services such as finance, management, and legal advice can be provided at once through the ‘One-stop Comprehensive Support Center for Small Business Owners.’

Merchant A, who heard the news, expressed expectations, saying, “It was difficult and overwhelming due to high interest rates and soaring prices, but I feel reassured that a dedicated institution for small business owners has been established.”

Based on this agreement, the district plans to promote the One-stop Comprehensive Support Center project linked by each institution, including ▲one-stop guidance for small business support projects ▲establishment of one-stop service manuals ▲work linkage among practitioners ▲visiting consulting for small business owners.

In addition, a working committee composed of practitioners will be regularly held in the future to discuss detailed matters and strengthen a practical mutual cooperation system.

Kim Kyung-ho, Mayor of Gwangjin-gu, said, “We have prepared a unified window so that merchants who have gone through difficult times such as COVID-19 can receive prompt consultation and assistance,” adding, “We will resolve the difficulties of small business owners, the core of the local economy, and revitalize the local economy.”

Songpa-gu (District Mayor Seo Gang-seok) announced on the 29th that it signed a ‘Discharge Patient Care SOS Center Linkage Business Agreement’ with the Police Hospital on the 23rd and will provide linked care services.

Through this agreement, the district will provide customized care services to elderly and disabled people who have difficulty moving or maintaining daily life independently after discharge, thereby establishing a meticulous welfare system.

Until now, discharged patients in need of care had to visit the community center in person or apply for Care SOS Center services by phone. However, with this business agreement, patients or attending medical staff can apply for Care SOS Center services to the hospital’s medical social worker during hospitalization.

Under this agreement, discharged patients will be mainly supported with Care SOS Center services such as ▲‘temporary home care,’ where care workers visit homes to provide assistance ▲‘accompaniment support’ for essential outings to hospitals or public offices ▲simple ‘repairs’ at home ▲‘residential convenience’ including cleaning and disinfection ▲and ‘meal delivery.’

The medical social worker requests services to the Care SOS Center staff, who then review the hospital referral form and conduct pre- and post-discharge visits and consultations to link customized care services to the patient.

Additionally, the district plans to share patient care precautions and care linkage results with the hospital to provide integrated health and welfare care services so that discharged patients can live healthier lives.

The service support targets are middle-aged residents aged 50 and over and elderly residents aged 65 and over living in Songpa-gu. However, if the household income is below 100% of the median income (KRW 1,944,812 per month for a single-person household), the usage fee is fully supported; otherwise, there is a self-pay portion.

Seo Gang-seok, Mayor of Songpa-gu, said, “This ‘Discharge Patient Care SOS Center Linkage Project’ will be a great help to patients at risk of solitary death and the elderly,” adding, “We will do our best to create a Songpa-gu without welfare blind spots so that all residents can enjoy healthy lives.”

Dongdaemun-gu (District Mayor Lee Pil-hyung) will operate the on-site job counseling service ‘Visiting Job Counseling Center’ once a week for two months starting in October.

This initiative is for residents who find it difficult to visit the Dongdaemun-gu Job Center due to time and location constraints or lack of information. The counseling center will be held at easily accessible locations such as major local event venues, rental apartment complexes, and community service centers.

It will be held at Jeonnong 1-dong Village Festival (Jeongok Village Yard) at 2 p.m. on October 6, Raemian Crecity in Jeonnong at 2 p.m. on October 13, Raemian Weave in Dapsimni at 2 p.m. on October 20, and Dongdaemun-gu Book Festival (Baebongsan Outdoor Yard) at 1 p.m. on October 29. Residents using the service can receive one-stop services including personalized employment counseling, job registration, job information, and employment linkage. In addition, various vocational training program information to enhance personal capabilities will be provided.

The Job Center located on the first floor of Dongdaemun-gu Office operates year-round, and any resident visiting the center can receive customized job services through one-on-one counseling with professional career counselors.

The district plans to continue operating the Visiting Job Counseling Center to eliminate blind spots in job support services and ensure residents have no difficulties in job searching.

Lee Pil-hyung, Mayor of Dongdaemun-gu, said, “We will actively support residents by providing one-stop employment support services and various job information to improve employment rates and personal capabilities.”

Gangnam-gu (District Mayor Cho Sung-myung) created a ‘Gangnam Pavilion’ at the ‘2022 Seoul International Sourcing Fair’ held at COEX Hall B for three days from September 29 to October 1 to support market expansion for promising local consumer goods SMEs.

The ‘Seoul International Sourcing Fair’ is Korea’s representative B2B exhibition specializing in consumer goods, hosted by COEX and the Korea Convention & Exhibition Industry Research Institute. About 220 domestic and international SMEs in gift, living, beauty, smart, and wellness sectors gather to showcase new products and seek business opportunities through buyer consultations and distribution strategy seminars.

Gangnam-gu supports 10 companies participating in the ‘Gangnam Pavilion’ by covering 70% of booth participation fees and full joint equipment costs, and provides services such as domestic major distribution channel entry consultation meetings and export consultation meetings inviting overseas buyers in cooperation with the organizer.

Meanwhile, in July, Gangnam-gu supported six local beauty companies to participate in the ‘North America Cosmoprof Las Vegas’ held at the Las Vegas Convention Center in the U.S., achieving contract results worth about KRW 10.7 billion. Through the ‘China Live Commerce Export Marketing’ project, it supported exports of 14 companies, resulting in purchase intention agreements worth about KRW 10.6 billion.

Cho Sung-myung, Mayor of Gangnam-gu, said, “I hope this participation support project will help promising local consumer goods SMEs open export channels,” adding, “Gangnam-gu will continue to provide marketing support for excellent local companies to enter overseas markets.”

Jongno-gu (District Mayor Jeong Moon-heon) will provide second-half loan support from the Small and Medium Business Development Fund until November 30 to alleviate financial difficulties of local small and medium-sized enterprises and small business owners suffering from prolonged COVID-19 and other economic hardships.

The support scale is KRW 2.35 billion, with a loan interest rate of 1.0%, a one-year grace period, and four years of equal installment repayment. The funds can be used for facility and operating funds or technology development funds.

For real estate collateral, support is up to KRW 50 million; for credit guarantees, up to KRW 30 million for residents of Jongno-gu and up to KRW 20 million for non-residents. However, businesses such as entertainment bars, finance, insurance, and real estate are excluded.

The eligible applicants are ▲small and medium-sized enterprises with factories registered within the district’s jurisdiction ▲tenants of the district-operated startup incubation center ▲small enterprises and small business owners ▲and those operating businesses recognized by the district mayor as promising and suitable for local characteristics.

Applications can be submitted by consulting with Woori Bank Jongno-gu Branch and Seoul Credit Guarantee Foundation and submitting the loan application form and a copy of the business registration certificate by November 30.

Loan amounts may be adjusted or applicants excluded based on review and loan screening results. If the fund is used differently from the initially submitted business plan and purpose, the loan will be reclaimed.

For more details, contact the district office website or the Job Economy Division’s Living Economy Team.

Jeong Moon-heon, Mayor of Jongno-gu, said, “I hope this will help stabilize the management of small business owners who have suffered from the prolonged economic freeze due to COVID-19,” adding, “We will continue to implement policies that invigorate the local economy and carefully address merchants’ difficulties.”