Dobong Socks Joint Sales and Communication Hub... Establishment of Dobong Socks Sales Support Center
Support for Joint Brand Development and Expansion into Various Domestic and International Markets
Dobong-gu (Mayor Oh Eon-seok) announced that it has established the "2024 Sock Manufacturing Industry Revitalization Plan" to activate Dobong-gu's representative regional specialized industry, the sock manufacturing industry, and will actively promote support policies related to it.
Earlier, the district conducted a survey on the actual conditions of the sock manufacturing industry in Dobong-gu to systematically establish policies for the sock manufacturing industry. It utilized the findings on the current status and environmental analysis of the sock manufacturing industry, as well as field opinions, as basic data for policy development.
Based on this year's plan, the district will promote projects for a new leap in the sock industry, such as creating a growth foundation for Dobong sock manufacturing through public-private cooperation and expanding promotion and sales channel support.
First, by March, the district plans to establish the "Dobong Sock Sales Support Center" (17, Dobong-ro 156-gil, 2nd floor). The center will be located on the second floor of the Hope Platform, an urban regeneration facility in Dobong 2-dong, and will be designed to enable continuous promotion and sales of socks produced locally. The district expects the center to serve as a hub for joint sales and communication for Dobong socks.
Along with the establishment of the center, efforts will be intensified to develop a joint brand for Dobong sock manufacturing. This aims to transform the low-cost, simple subcontracting structure of the sock manufacturing industry into a high value-added industry. To this end, in August last year, the district signed a business agreement with the Dobong Sock Manufacturing Association (Chairman Park Byung-su) and the Seoul Sock Manufacturing Support Center. According to the plan, joint brand development is expected to be possible within the first half of this year.
The products will be released with various designs reflecting the characteristics of the district, such as Dobongsan Mountain and Dobong-gu characters (Eunbongi and Hakbongi), and will be available at the Dobong Sock Sales Support Center within this year.
Additionally, product development linked to goods of Dobong-gu's breaking dance professional team is underway, and the district plans to promote Dobong socks through sponsorship of stage costumes during the team's performances in the future.
Efforts will also be made to develop domestic and international market channels. The "Overseas Market Development Project," which was successfully promoted last year, will be further expanded focusing on the sock manufacturing industry. The district will form the "Dobong-gu Small and Medium Enterprise Overseas Trade Delegation" and conduct online sales promotion, buyer matching consultations, and overseas local market research. This year, it plans to participate in the "World Korean Business Convention" (formerly World Korean Trade Convention) held in Jeonju.
Furthermore, to support marketing of local companies' products, the district will provide subsidies for booth rental fees, installation costs, and production of export promotional materials when participating in domestic and international exhibitions and fairs. It will also conduct export mentoring, capacity building, and potential buyer discovery to help KOTRA domestic companies become export companies.
To improve poor working conditions, the district will participate in the Seoul Metropolitan Government's clothing (sock) sewing and four major industries work environment improvement support project contest to secure project funds and support the purchase (production) and installation costs of items necessary for work environment improvement. In addition to the Seoul Metropolitan Government's contest projects, the district plans to separately allocate its own budget this year as it did last year to enable more companies to receive support.
The district also plans to actively promote Dobong's excellent sock manufacturing industry and attract nationwide interest by expanding contests and events. First, the "Dobong Sock Design Drawing Contest," which received high interest last year, will expand its grand prize category from elementary to middle and high school students. In addition, the district will diversify participating companies and products in the "Dobong Sock Sale Festa" and "Dobong Sock Fashion Show," which have left a distinctive mark as local specialty events.
Oh Eon-seok, Mayor of Dobong-gu, said, "If 2023 was a year when Dobong-gu laid a new foundation as the mecca of Korea's sock industry, then 2024 will be a year of greater leap through support policies such as domestic and international promotion and marketing."
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