Jungnang-gu and Gwanak-gu Provide Housing for Startup Youth... Guro-gu Operates Startup Programs
More Seoul autonomous districts are stepping up to support startups.
Jungnang-gu, Gwanak-gu, Guro-gu, and others are providing housing support and running programs to assist young entrepreneurs.
This is because active startups create jobs and help the local economy.
Jungnang-gu (Mayor Ryu Kyung-gi) is officially pushing forward the ‘Jungnang Startup Support Center Complex Project’ in collaboration with SH Corporation, which involves building the Jungnang Startup Support Center and 141 job-linked housing units in the Sinnae 3 District.
Following the conditional approval of the ‘Jungnang Startup Support Center Complex Project’ at the 5th Public Housing Integrated Deliberation Committee held by Seoul City on the 23rd of last month, construction is scheduled to begin in the second half of 2025 with a target completion in 2028.
The Jungnang Startup Support Center, opened in 2022, is an institution equipped with a professional system for corporate growth, discovering and nurturing promising startups in the 4th industrial sector, helping early-stage startups build a foundation for growth.
The Jungnang Startup Support Center Complex Project will supply 141 job-linked support housing units combining living and working spaces to young entrepreneurs in the area of 195-3 Sinnae-dong, with a total floor area of 16,400㎡, spanning from 2 basement levels to 12 floors above ground.
The housing units are designed for 1-2 person startups, consisting of exclusive areas of 31㎡ and 44㎡. Each unit also includes a small workspace to support the residents’ startup activities.
Gwanak-gu (Mayor Park Jun-hee) is providing stable homes so that young entrepreneurs can establish a growth base for their companies and succeed in startups.
‘Dojeon-suk’ means ‘Accommodation for Challengers’ and is a demand-tailored public rental housing where young entrepreneurs (including prospective entrepreneurs) can solve both housing and office space needs at once.
To support the independence and growth of young entrepreneurs with weak economic foundations, Gwanak-gu and Seoul Housing & Communities Corporation (SH) signed a business agreement and have been supplying these units since last year. The program is popular as it significantly reduces housing costs for young people.
This year, the district will additionally supply 13 vacant housing units to young entrepreneurs (one-person creative business owners, prospective entrepreneurs, social entrepreneurs, village entrepreneurs) from October 5 to 16.
Applicants must be young entrepreneurs aged 19 to 39 who have an office in Gwanak-gu as of the announcement date or can relocate their office to Gwanak-gu within three months after selection. Prospective entrepreneurs must submit a business plan.
Income criteria require meeting the standard of a single-person household with no home ownership and an income below 70% of the previous year’s average monthly urban worker income.
The winners will be announced on Monday, October 14, and after signing a lease contract with Seoul Housing & Communities Corporation (SH), they can move in from the end of November.
Guro-gu (Mayor Moon Heon-il) operates various youth employment support programs.
The ‘Youth Challenge Support Project, Anyway Start’ discovers young people aged 18 to 34 who have given up job searching and provides various programs such as one-on-one counseling, personal branding, physical and mental health management, and employment capacity-building lectures over three months to boost job-seeking motivation and help social entry.
The program runs from September 3 to December 12, with a participation allowance of 1.5 million KRW, an incentive of 200,000 KRW upon completion, and an additional 500,000 KRW incentive if employed within six months after completion and maintaining employment for three months.
Applications can be made from August 9 to August 26 via the Worknet website or the Guro Youth Irum website. However, youth who have participated in employment, education, or vocational training in the past six months are restricted from participating.
Additionally, the Youth Irum website offers the ‘Last Dance 4th Term’ and ‘Employment Boost Up!’ programs targeting university seniors and job seekers.
The ‘Last Dance 4th Term’ program is an interview lecture program that helps young people make their final leap toward employment success, held over five sessions from August 12 to 26 at Youth Irum, with a business manners lecture scheduled for August 29.
The program accepts applications on a first-come, first-served basis until August 6.
Finally, the ‘Employment Boost Up!’ program provides various employment lectures and workshops among participants, offering recruitment insights and practical preparation for job hunting. Applications are open until August 26.
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