Recruiting Companies to Participate in the Support Project for Small Business Owners with Disabilities

Five Small Businesses with Disabilities to Be Selected
Up to 11 Million Won in Support for Each

The Disabled Entrepreneurs Comprehensive Support Center announced on October 2 that it is recruiting companies to participate in the 'Business Environment Improvement Project for Small Business Owners with Disabilities.'

This project is funded by donations from the KSD Nanum Foundation and aims to select five small businesses owned by people with disabilities who are struggling due to limited resources, providing up to 11 million won in support for each. From 2019 to 2025, the KSD Nanum Foundation has donated approximately 740 million won to support various initiatives aimed at improving the business environment for companies owned by people with disabilities.

The support items include ▲remodeling and interior work ▲purchase of fixtures and equipment ▲brand development (trademark design and brand name), among others. In particular, following the amendment to the Disability Discrimination Act, which strengthened the obligation for businesses with fewer than 100 regular employees to ensure accessibility for people with disabilities from January this year, the project is expected to help reduce the financial burden of newly incurred costs such as installing barrier-free kiosks.

Eligible applicants are companies that have received a Disabled Enterprise Certificate and qualify as small businesses under Article 2 of the Small Business Basic Act. However, nonprofit organizations, businesses that are temporarily closed or shut down, and businesses excluded from small business policy funding (such as those in speculative industries) are not eligible. Social cooperatives that have received a Disabled Enterprise Certificate and meet all the requirements of Article 2, Paragraph 1, Subparagraph 3 of the Enforcement Decree of the Act on the Promotion of Activities of Enterprises Owned by Persons with Disabilities may apply.

The application period is open until October 24. Applications and required documents can be submitted by email, mail, or in person. More details can be found on the official website of the Disabled Entrepreneurs Comprehensive Support Center.

Chairman Park Maru stated, "Although the proportion of employees with disabilities at small business workplaces owned by people with disabilities reaches 41.1%, many companies lack the resources to create a safe working environment for them. We will continue to do our best to develop policies that ensure management stability and sustainable growth for small business owners with disabilities."