Korea SMEs and Startups Agency partners with KT&G Sangsangmadang Busan for local consumer festival

The Korea SMEs and Startups Agency held the "KOSME Sangsaeng Festa X Sangsanghaneun Market" at KT&G Sangsangmadang Busan on Saturday in partnership with KT&G Sangsangmadang Busan. [Korea SMEs and Startups Agency]

Korea SMEs and Startups Agency, KT&G Sangsangmadang Busan co-host local consumer event

Festival combines SME and social enterprise product sales with live music performances

Agency to pursue local commerce activation events tied to 'Donghaeng Festival' from Oct. 29

A consumer festival where visitors could browse and buy products from local small and medium-sized enterprises while enjoying live music was held in Busan on Saturday. The Korea SMEs and Startups Agency teamed up with a private cultural venue to help expand sales channels for small businesses.

The agency announced Monday that it partnered with KT&G Sangsangmadang Busan to hold the "KOSME Sangsaeng Festa X Sangsanghaneun Market" at KT&G Sangsangmadang Busan on Saturday.

The event combined the agency's consumer promotion program, KOSME Sangsaeng Festa, with KT&G Sangsangmadang Busan's local community program, Sangsanghaneun Market, which connects local businesses and consumers.

Sangsanghaneun Market is a program KT&G Sangsangmadang Busan has run since 2021 to connect local small business owners with consumers. The agency linked this year's event to the program to expand sales and hands-on experience opportunities for local SME products.

The venue featured sales and hands-on experience programs where visitors could examine and purchase products from local small and medium-sized enterprises. The Korea Social Enterprise Promotion Agency also participated, operating a dedicated booth for social enterprise products.

Live performances were also part of the program. Singer Sunwoo Jung-a and others took the stage through KT&G's music program, Clover Music Station. The format was designed to draw visitor participation by pairing live performances with product sales.

This year's Sangsaeng Festa marks the second edition of the agency's program. Last November, the agency co-hosted a similar event with the Seoul Business Agency to support small manufacturers and youth startup companies. While last year's event focused on expanding sales channels for those groups, this year's edition broadened consumer touchpoints by linking up with an existing local community program and live performances in Busan.

"We have again this year created a space where consumers can directly experience quality local products, to support small and medium-sized enterprises struggling with sluggish domestic demand and weakened consumer sentiment," Korea SMEs and Startups Agency President Kang Seok-jin said. "We will continue to work with local communities, private companies and other diverse partners to widen sales channels for SMEs and build a virtuous cycle in which expanded consumption drives SME growth."

The agency also plans to continue local commerce activation events during the Ministry of SMEs and Startups' "Donghaeng Festival," a co-prosperity shopping campaign running for 18 days from Oct. 29 to Nov. 15. Planned activities include a "local commerce refresh" initiative in which agency employees patronize local businesses, as well as local commerce programs tied to regional festivals.

hong@heraldcorp.com