Small business owners pose for a group photo at the launch ceremony of the Coupang Digital Jump-Up Academy for the Honam region, held at the Kim Dae-jung Convention Center in Gwangju. [Coupang Inc]
Small business owners pose for a group photo at the launch ceremony of the Coupang Digital Jump-Up Academy for the Honam region, held at the Kim Dae-jung Convention Center in Gwangju. [Coupang Inc]

Coupang Inc held the Honam region launch ceremony for its Digital Jump-Up Academy at the Kim Dae-jung Convention Center in Gwangju on Tuesday.

The company selected 50 small businesses in the Honam region through an advance recruitment process. Participants include local producers using regional specialty ingredients, such as Sujung Hangwa, a traditional rice cake manufacturer in Damyang, South Jeolla Province, and Square Food Lab, a granola maker in Iksan, North Jeolla Province.

Run in partnership with the nonprofit Sapiens 4.0, the program offers participants eight weeks of combined online and offline education. The curriculum focuses on building practical digital skills, covering AI tools, online sales strategy and digital marketing. Upon completion, participants take part in a product evaluation session assessing their competitiveness, and standout products receive support for expanding their sales channels, including placement in Coupang's curated promotional events.

A similar launch ceremony for small businesses in the Yeongnam region is scheduled for Tuesday in Busan. A Coupang Inc corporate social responsibility official said the company would "continue to provide diverse support so that local small businesses can find new growth opportunities in the online market."


andy@heraldcorp.com