Gwanak District Invests 10.8 Billion Won to Support Small Business Owners

Comprehensive Support Plan for Small Business Owners in 2025
16 Projects Across 3 Key Areas, Totaling 10.8 Billion Won
Initiatives to Strengthen Neighborhood Commercial Districts
and Improve Small Business Management

According to a report by the Korea Employers Federation, the number of business owners who filed for closure last year approached one million, marking the highest figure since 2006.

This period has been especially challenging for small business owners due to several factors: increased debt burdens caused by high interest rates, shifts in consumer purchasing preferences, delayed recovery of domestic demand, and a prolonged economic downturn.

In response, Gwanak District (headed by Mayor Park Junhee) has established and is now implementing the “2025 Comprehensive Support Plan for Small Business Owners” to revitalize the local economy and support livelihoods.

This year, the district will invest a total of 10.8 billion won in 16 projects under three core strategies aimed at revitalizing the local economy based on the competitiveness of small businesses: ▲supporting the management stability of small and medium-sized businesses ▲strengthening the competitiveness of neighborhood commercial districts ▲promoting local economic consumption.

To begin with, the district will expand the “SME Development Fund Loan” program to a scale of 5 billion won to support the management stability of small and medium-sized businesses. Additionally, new initiatives such as “Clean Care Support for Small Business Heating and Cooling Systems” and “Support for Exploring Overseas Markets” will be launched.

Measures to foster and strengthen the competitiveness of neighborhood commercial districts will also be implemented.

The “Gwanak-Style Artterior Project,” which has received positive feedback from small business owners for discovering store content and improving store environments, will be expanded to support 440 locations this year. The “Core Store Discovery and Development Project,” which identifies and nurtures promising stores that drive commercial districts, will also be expanded to cover all neighborhood commercial districts in Gwanak District.

In response to the changing business environment-such as the emergence of various online sales channels, including smart stores and social media, and evolving consumer behaviors-the district will support the online marketing and promotional capabilities of small business owners by providing support to a total of 30 stores this year through the “Online Marketing Promotion Support” project.

Furthermore, last year the district was selected for the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s “Sharosugil Local Brand Commercial District Development Project,” securing 3 billion won in funding over three years until 2026.

Now in its second year, the district will invest a total of 1 billion won to develop and operate distinctive local content in the Sharosugil commercial district, improve commercial spaces to enhance the visitor environment, and actively support the district’s goal of fostering self-sustaining commercial areas.

To stimulate local economic consumption, the district will increase the issuance of “Gwanak Love Gift Certificates” to a total of 40 billion won and run a payback event that returns 5% of the spending amount to users.

In particular, considering the high demand for delivery services due to the large number of single-person youth households in Gwanak District, the district will issue a total of 1 billion won worth of “Gwanak Ddaenggyeoyo (public delivery app) exclusive gift certificates.”

Festivals within commercial districts will also be expanded. Last year, the district held the “Neighborhood Commercial District Revitalization Festival” in four neighborhoods to raise brand awareness and discover customer-attracting content for neighborhood commercial districts, attracting about 20,000 visitors and achieving great success.

This year, the district plans to expand the “Neighborhood Commercial District Revitalization Festival” to six commercial districts, providing diverse content and entertainment to help these areas become representative commercial districts of the region. Mayor Park Junhee stated, “In response to the recent challenging domestic and global economic environment, we will do our utmost to stabilize small business management and revitalize the local economy by implementing multifaceted support policies for small business owners.”

Nowon District Launches Seoul’s First Pilot Project to Support Vehicle Assistive Devices for Severely Disabled Residents

Continuous Efforts to Address Gaps in Mobility Rights and Enhance Policy Effectiveness

Up to 11.2 Million Won per Person for Wheelchair Lifts, Ramps, and Rotating Seats

Nowon District (headed by Mayor Oh Seungrok) announced the launch of Seoul’s first pilot project to support “vehicle assistive devices” for the mobility of severely disabled residents.

The assistive devices eligible for support for personal vehicles include lifts, ramps, and rotating seats. For people with disabilities who must use a wheelchair or powered mobility device for short distances and a vehicle for longer trips, transferring between a car and a wheelchair is a significant challenge. Each step-boarding a vehicle while in a wheelchair, moving from a wheelchair to the driver’s seat, and loading the wheelchair into the vehicle-requires the help of assistive devices.

However, existing assistive device support programs for people with disabilities have excluded vehicle assistive devices, leaving a gap in guaranteeing mobility rights. To address this, the district has decided to launch this support project.

The support covers the purchase of vehicle assistive devices and the cost of vehicle modification. Among these, lifts and ramps (including securing devices) necessary for boarding vehicles are prioritized, while rotating seats can also be applied for and supported within the budget.

Eligibility is limited to severely physically disabled or brain-lesioned residents of Nowon District who own a vehicle that can be modified, or their guardians. Only those who are unable to move without a wheelchair are eligible; people with simple mobility impairments or those residing in facilities are excluded.

Applications will be accepted from March through the 19 community centers in the district. Recipients will be selected in June after evaluating eligibility criteria and the suitability of the assistive devices. The maximum support amount is 11.2 million won per person, and the actual amount varies depending on the type of vehicle, assistive device, and applicant’s eligibility. Therefore, applicants are advised to consult in advance with the responsible department (Disability Welfare Division).

Among applicants, basic livelihood security recipients will receive 80% of the cost, those in the next-lowest income bracket will receive 70%, and other general disabled residents will receive 50%, with the remainder paid by the applicant.

The district has maintained a strong policy focus on improving mobility rights for people with disabilities, achieving results such as installing barrier-free walking trails by region, renovating accessible restrooms, operating safety insurance and driving practice centers for powered mobility devices, and expanding the supply of rapid chargers for powered mobility devices. Recently, the district enhanced its support for repair costs of powered mobility devices, now including the previously excluded high-cost battery replacement, which has drawn attention from residents with disabilities.

The district’s continued efforts to identify and address policy gaps for people with disabilities have been greatly aided by policy exchanges and collaboration with local disability organizations. This new pilot project to support vehicle assistive devices also originated from collecting feedback from disability advocacy groups such as the Parents’ Solidarity for the Disabled. Last year, ahead of the introduction of a new social security system in 2025, the Ministry of Health and Welfare selected this project as an “Outstanding Case of Advance Consultation for the 2024 Social Security System.”

The district plans to closely monitor the entire implementation process of this pilot project to determine whether to maintain or expand it in the future.

Mayor Oh Seungrok stated, “There are still blind spots and invisible inconveniences in promoting the rights and interests of people with disabilities, so we are maintaining constant policy attention. Through empathy and communication with people with disabilities, we will ensure that physical disabilities do not become obstacles to daily life.”

Dobong District Helps 500 Seniors Find New Jobs

500 Participating Seniors Begin Work This Month

Activities Include Cleaning Areas Vulnerable to Illegal Dumping

In Dobong District (headed by Mayor Oh Unseok), 500 local seniors have found new jobs through participation in the district’s “Dobong-Style Senior Job Program.”

The “Dobong-Style Senior Job Program” is designed to provide employment opportunities to seniors who wish to continue working.

Unlike other senior job programs, this initiative expands eligibility by lowering the age requirement for participants.

The age criterion for the “Dobong-Style Senior Job Program” is five years younger than that of the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s “Senior Job and Social Activity Support Program,” starting at age 60. Seniors aged 60 to 64 must have an income at or below 180% of the median, while those aged 65 or older must be recipients of the basic pension.

A total of 500 local seniors are participating in this year’s program. Their main activities include cleaning areas vulnerable to illegal dumping and maintaining both the interior and exterior environments of senior centers. Full-scale activities began this month.

In principle, participants work three hours per day for ten days each month, receiving a monthly payment of 290,000 won. The district has allocated over 1.5 billion won from its own budget to fully fund the senior activity allowances.

To prevent potential safety accidents during activities, the district will provide more than 12 hours of safety training throughout the year. In addition, accident insurance has been arranged in advance to ensure compensation for any unexpected injuries sustained during activities.

Mayor Oh Unseok of Dobong District stated, “The senior job program not only provides economic support to seniors but also gives them an opportunity to utilize their abilities and regain vitality in life. We will continue to provide attentive support to help seniors lead new and fulfilling lives through this program.”

In addition to the “Dobong-Style Senior Job Program,” the district is also implementing the “Senior Job and Social Activity Support Program” to enhance senior welfare.

For this year’s programs, the district recruited 3,189 seniors in December last year, dividing them into four categories: public interest activities, competency utilization projects, community project groups, and employment support. A total budget of 13.7 billion won has been allocated, including 4.8 billion won from the district’s own funds.