[Seoul District News] Oh Eon-seok, Dobong-gu Mayor, Visits Company Worksites in November to Listen to Difficulties, Actively Reviews and Resolves Requests & Supports Policies Including Small Business Development Fund, Dobong-type Hope Encouragement Fund, Dobong-gu Job Fund... Gwanak-gu to Host Small Business and Traditional Market Festival at District Office Plaza on 24-25
On June 2, Oh Eun-seok, the mayor of Dobong-gu, visited Samwon Powertech and held an on-site dialogue with businesspeople.
[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Oh Eon-seok, the mayor of Dobong-gu, conducted a ‘Field Dialogue between the Mayor and Entrepreneurs’ this month by visiting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the area to listen to the voices of business owners.
The ‘Field Dialogue between the Mayor and Entrepreneurs’ was organized for SMEs in Dobong-gu that have long operated businesses and created jobs by hiring local residents. The mayor personally visited the sites to hear about management difficulties and requests.
Mayor Oh visited the following companies: ▲ November 2 ? Samwon Powertech (vehicle lighting device manufacturing) ▲ November 2 ? Daekyung Textile (socks and sewing) ▲ November 7 ? SM Motors (Sungmi Automobile) (car maintenance) ▲ November 7 ? Taekyung CM General Construction (specialized construction) ▲ November 11 ? Hanyang Automobile Maintenance (car maintenance).
During the field dialogue, requests were made for financial support, improvement of working conditions, and repair of damaged sidewalks. Mayor Oh stated, “We are implementing loans through the district’s SME Development Fund after review by the responsible departments, and we will connect additional on-site consultations through the Credit Guarantee Foundation.” The sidewalk repair requests have been completed.
Company representatives openly discussed the difficulties they experienced managing businesses in Dobong-gu and their pride as local business leaders. Mayor Oh encouraged them, saying, “Revitalizing SME management is an important task as it contributes to the local economy and creates jobs for residents.”
He also explained various policies for local businesses and workers, including ▲ Dobong-gu SME Development Fund (loan support for SMEs and small business owners) ▲ Support for small manufacturers in clothing and sock production ▲ Dobong-type Hope Incentive ▲ Dobong-gu Job Fund, urging active cooperation and participation from companies.
In particular, the SME Development Fund secured resources through the 2022 supplementary budget, creating a loan fund of 7.8 billion KRW through simultaneous capital contributions with partner banks (Shinhan Bank, Woori Bank). This provides preferential financial support to SMEs and small business owners in Dobong-gu.
The Job Fund, first established nationwide in Dobong-gu in 2019 with 5.04 billion KRW, supports the development and research of job-related policies, provides recruitment information, and is used for job fairs. It is flexibly used for various job creation projects, including public employment programs supporting vulnerable employment groups.
One of the projects using the Job Fund, the Dobong-type Hope Incentive, supports small businesses and small business owners located in Dobong-gu who newly hire Dobong-gu residents as regular employees and maintain employment for three months. It provides up to 3 million KRW per new employee (500,000 KRW per month for six months), supporting up to two employees per company.
Mayor Oh Eon-seok said, “Visiting the sites and seeing residents working hard in their respective positions made me feel the dedication of everyone, and motivated me to work even harder. Dobong-gu will continue to provide unwavering support for business revitalization, a comfortable working environment, and job creation.”
Gwanak-gu (Mayor Park Jun-hee) will hold the ‘Gwanak-gu Small Business and Traditional Market Harmony Festival’ at the Gwanak-gu Office Plaza from the 24th to the 25th to revitalize the local commercial district by bringing together small business owners and traditional markets.
This Harmony Festival, under the slogan “Strong Power Connecting Small Things!”, will gather 35 small business and traditional market vendors from Gwanak-gu in one place to showcase excellent small business products and representative traditional market goods that consumers can trust and purchase through a joint promotional event.
At the plaza in front of the district office, booths selling various products such as clothing, accessories, handmade goods, and agricultural, marine, and livestock products from traditional markets will be set up. These will be sold at prices 10-20% lower than market prices, and various performances and special events with prize giveaways will also be held.
The district expects this event to greatly help merchants who have faced difficulties due to COVID-19 and the flood damage in August by promoting their products and increasing sales.
Additionally, a commendation ceremony will be held to honor those who have contributed to revitalizing the local economy in various fields, making the event even more meaningful.
To prevent safety accidents, the district will assign on-site staff and operation team leaders, equip fire extinguishers to prepare for fires, and prioritize visitor safety throughout the event.
A district official said, “Small businesses and traditional markets are like the lifeblood of local economic revitalization,” adding, “We will continue to actively support small businesses and traditional markets to make Gwanak-gu a business-friendly environment.”
For more details about the Gwanak-gu Small Business and Traditional Market Harmony Festival, contact the Gwanak-gu Small Business Association or the Gwanak-gu Local Commercial District Revitalization Division.
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