Nowon-gu Establishes Customized Administrative Service System for Small Business Owners on Site

Since May, a survey of 1,200 small businesses in Nowon-gu... Based on the results, customized administrative services for small businesses will be promoted next year... Operation of the 'Visiting Small Business Manager' project... Managers visit stores directly to provide timely business guidance... Ensuring the activation of the 'Small Business Network'... Business notifications via text and KakaoTalk AlimTalk, regular and ad hoc meetings of the SME and Small Business Policy Committee... 'Yellow Umbrella Hope Incentive Support'... To prepare for closure and old age, the district supports 10,000 KRW monthly per individual for contribution payments

Nowon-gu, Seoul (District Mayor Oh Seung-rok) announced that it will establish an on-site customized administrative service system for small business owners and begin actual support starting next year.

According to the 2021 Seoul Business Survey, there are 33,772 small business establishments (with fewer than 5 regular employees) in Nowon-gu. The Credit Guarantee Foundation predicted that although sales in Nowon-gu increased by 7.3% in 2022 compared to 2021, the rise in rent was higher, likely increasing difficulties for small business owners.

Accordingly, the district conducted a survey on small business owners in May. They visited 1,200 local small businesses to assess their status, awareness of policies, and difficulties, and completed the final report meeting last month. Based on the results of this survey, Nowon-gu plans to provide customized administrative services for small business owners next year.

First, the district will operate the "Visiting Small Business Manager" project. The survey showed that the most needed support by local small business owners was strengthening promotion of support policies (26.1%). In fact, 75.6% of respondents said they learned about district policies from fellow merchants.

The district plans to hire managers who will visit stores directly and guide support projects, discovering small business owners in information blind spots and providing them with informational booklets.

They will also listen to on-site difficulties and help solve problems by connecting with experts.

Furthermore, efforts will be made to revitalize the "Small Business Network." Offline, managers will visit small business owners directly, while online, in addition to existing text messages, KakaoTalk notification messages will be used to inform about support projects from the district office and related organizations.

Additionally, the district will regularly (once a year) and occasionally hold the "Small and Medium Enterprise and Small Business Policy Committee," composed of experts from various small business fields, to review district policies. The first policy committee meeting was held in September to seek advice on practical and effective directions for next year’s small business support policies.

The district will also provide "Yellow Umbrella Hope Incentive Support" to prepare for small business owners’ closures and old age. The Yellow Umbrella is a mutual aid system that functions like severance pay for workers, aimed at helping small business owners restart their businesses and stabilize their lives. About 7,000 small business owners in the area are enrolled in the Yellow Umbrella.

To encourage enrollment and build a lifelong customized social safety net, the district plans to support the "Hope Incentive" starting next year. When individuals pay their monthly contribution, the district will provide 10,000 KRW per month, up to 120,000 KRW annually. This can be received in addition to the Seoul City Hope Incentive.

Meanwhile, the district operates various projects to stabilize management and strengthen competitiveness of local small business owners. The "Leaders Academy," which provides marketing strategies for business revitalization and training in labor, accounting, and legal skills, is held twice a year. The "Youth Management Academy" for young small business owners and prospective entrepreneurs is also held twice annually. Quarterly "Soso Market" events are held for promotion and market development.

District Mayor Oh Seung-rok said, “We have prepared for a long time to establish a small business support system specialized for our district to counter the economic downturn. We will continue to discover support projects for small business owners, who are the core of local economic revitalization, and overcome difficult times together.”