Agreement Signed in June with Kakao, Gyeonggi Province, and LH for Digital Hub Investment
Various Support Projects Utilizing Kakao's Digital Platform to Be Conducted Until December
Mayor Joo Gwangdeok: "We Will Back Local Economic Recovery and Growth Through Close Cooperation"
Namyangju City in Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Joo Gwangdeok) announced on September 9 that it had signed a business agreement on September 8 at the multipurpose hall of the Hopyeong-Pyeongnae Administrative Welfare Center for the "Kakao Project Regular - On-site Local Commercial District Revitalization Project."
Representatives of each merchants' association and institution taking a commemorative photo after signing the agreement (from left: Kim Sangmok, Head of Gyeonggi Northern Region Headquarters at Small Enterprise and Market Service; Park Hyesun, Director of ESG Co-prosperity at Kakao Corporation; Han Gwangseok, President of Shigogeori Merchants' Association; Ahn Gyechang, President of Namyangju Janghyeon Traditional Market Merchants' Association; Choi Youngdong, President of Hopyeong Merchants' Association; Kim Munsook, Center Director of Together Making the World Corporation). Provided by Namyangju City
Through this agreement, Kakao Corporation, the Small Enterprise and Market Service, and Together Making the World Corporation have joined forces to promote a customized digital transformation support project for local commercial districts, while Namyangju City has committed to actively cooperate by providing administrative support for the smooth implementation of the project.
The signing ceremony was attended by the presidents of the Namyangju Janghyeon Traditional Market Merchants' Association, Shigogeori Merchants' Association, and Hopyeong Merchants' Association, as well as the Director of ESG Co-prosperity at Kakao Corporation, the Head of the Gyeonggi Northern Region Headquarters at Small Enterprise and Market Service, the Center Director of the Social Finance Center at Together Making the World Corporation, the Head of the City’s Local Economy Division, and other representatives from each institution.
This project is the first step in a local coexistence and social contribution initiative, based on the "Kakao AI-Based Digital Hub Construction Investment Attraction Agreement" signed last June by Namyangju City, Kakao Corporation, Gyeonggi Province, and Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH).
Last month, after conducting on-site inspections with the Small Enterprise and Market Service, Kakao Corporation selected Namyangju Janghyeon Traditional Market, Shigogeori Merchants' Association, and Hopyeong Merchants' Association as the project’s target commercial districts.
Merchants in the selected districts will receive support for: operating KakaoTalk channels to communicate store news to regular customers; one-on-one customized capacity-building training to utilize services such as Kakao Map, KakaoTalk Store, and KakaoTalk Reservation; online and offline marketing support; and marketing execution support linked to local commercial district festivals.
In particular, each store will receive annual support of 300,000 won, and each commercial district will receive 3 million won per year for sending KakaoTalk channel advertising messages.
The presidents of merchant associations from three commercial districts in Namyangju City and representatives of various organizations are signing the agreement. Photo by Namyangju City
Mayor Joo Gwangdeok stated, "It is more important than ever to provide tailored support and establish a foundation for digital transformation to drive local economic growth alongside the industrial ecosystem’s major transition. We will do our utmost to ensure that this project becomes an opportunity to bring real vitality to merchants and local commercial districts facing challenging times, through close cooperation and support."
The city and Kakao Corporation plan to develop various collaborative measures to further revitalize local commercial districts in the future.
Meanwhile, the Kakao Digital Hub, which will be built in the Wangsuk High-Tech Industrial Complex in the third phase of the new city, will have a total floor area of 92,000 square meters and is scheduled for completion by 2029.
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