Gumi City to Provide 190 Billion Won in Financial Support for SMEs

Proactive Response to Year-Beginning and Lunar New Year Funding Shortages
Preferential Support for Companies with Over 80% Local Employees
Expanded Coverage to MOU and Women-Friendly Companies
Interest Subsidy Support for Operating and Facility Funds
Interest Rates Up to 4% Applied
Facility Fund Applications: January 5-9
Operating Fund Applications: January 14-28, Online Only

Gumi City in North Gyeongsang Province will provide a total of 190 billion won in operating and facility funds in 2026 to help stabilize the management of local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

This initiative aims to proactively address the concentrated demand for funds that arises at the beginning of the year and ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, amid ongoing exchange rate and interest rate volatility and continued economic uncertainty.

Financial support for SMEs will be provided through an interest subsidy system, where the city covers a portion of the interest on loans from financial institutions.

Operating funds will be supported for one year, and facility funds for three years, with interest rates set at 2.5% for general support and 4% for preferential support.

The maximum loan limits, based on recent sales figures, are up to 300 million won for general operating funds and up to 500 million won for preferential operating funds, while facility funds are capped at 500 million won for general support and 700 million won for preferential support.

Photo of Gumi City Hall / Photo by Kim Ihwan

This year, the criteria for preferential support have been significantly expanded. Companies where 80% or more of employees, including the representative, have addresses in Gumi will see their support interest rate raised from the previous 2.5% to 4%.

The scope of companies eligible for preferential facility fund loans has also been broadened to include not only those relocating from other cities or counties, companies located in agro-industrial complexes, and companies returning to Korea, but also companies that have signed MOUs with Gumi City.

For operating funds, the range of eligible preferential companies has been expanded to include not only existing preferential companies but also companies certified as women-friendly by Gumi City and those selected for Gumi City's startup support programs.

Gumi Mayor Kim Jangho stated, "This is a measure to ease the financial burden on SMEs and support management stability during a period when demand for funds peaks at the beginning of the year and ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday," adding, "We hope this support will lay the foundation for companies to make a new leap forward and revitalize the regional economy as a whole."

Applications for facility funds can be submitted via the Gumi City Enterprise Support IT Portal from the 5th to the 9th.

Applications for Lunar New Year operating funds will be accepted online through the Gfund Gyeongsangbuk-do SME Promotion Fund website from the 14th to the 28th.

Detailed information can be found on the Gumi City Enterprise Support IT Portal, and inquiries should be directed to the Enterprise Support Division at Gumi City Hall.