Gwangju Dong-gu, Customized Heating Cost Support for Small Business Owners

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Jin-hyung] Dong-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City announced on the 22nd that it will launch a ‘Dong-gu-type Customized Heating Cost Support’ to stabilize the management of small business owners who are experiencing economic difficulties due to an unusual cold wave and soaring heating costs.

This support plan targets small business owners hit hard by rising heating costs, providing ▲300,000 KRW for flower farms and bathhouses equipped with lodging and greenhouses (houses), ▲200,000 KRW for general restaurants, bakeries, laundries, and pet-related businesses, and ▲100,000 KRW for other industries (excluding entertainment businesses).

Eligible recipients must operate a business within Dong-gu, have fewer than five regular employees, and be leaseholders with annual sales under 200 million KRW last year.

However, lodging, bathhouse businesses, and flower farms with greenhouses (houses) may also include owners operating their own stores, but unregistered businesses and businesses that are temporarily closed or permanently shut down are excluded.

Qualified applicants can apply in person or via email from March 2 to April 28 at the Dong-gu Office annex (Dong-gu Health Center) 4th-floor reception desk or at any of the 13 dong administrative welfare centers.

Im Taek, Mayor of Dong-gu, said, “We have decided to provide heating cost support for small business owners who are suffering from a triple hardship of prolonged economic recession due to COVID-19, a cold wave, and rising heating costs.” He added, “In Dong-gu, which lacks large industrial complexes, we will actively promote meticulous and diverse customized support projects for small business owners who can be considered the ‘main pillar of the local economy.’”