Expert on-site assessments and two tailored consultations offered to 15 selected stores
Applications open through Wednesday in partnership with Seoul Credit Guarantee Foundation
Gwangjin-gu is launching its 2026 "Neighborhood Small Business Management Doctor" support project to ease the financial burden on small business owners struggling with the economic slowdown and shifting business conditions, and to help them strengthen their competitiveness.
The project sends experts directly to participating stores to assess areas in need of improvement, then provides tailored consultations and facility upgrade subsidies. Working with the Seoul Credit Guarantee Foundation, the district will select 15 stores, offer two consultations through the foundation's "Self-Employed Clinic" program, and cover facility improvement costs of up to 1.5 million won ($1,130) per store.
Eligible applicants must be storefront small business operators that have been running a business in Gwangjin-gu for at least one year. Eligibility is verified based on the business address and opening date listed on the business registration certificate; corporate applicants must have their head office in Gwangjin-gu.
Covered items include signage, lighting, display cases and storage units, interior fixtures, restrooms, heating and cooling systems, and commercial refrigerators. However, only exterior sign replacements are eligible — new purchases of air conditioners and commercial refrigerators are excluded. Products for sale, raw materials, and movable equipment or devices are also ineligible, as are any facilities ordered or installed before the selection results are announced.
Businesses that received or are set to receive support through similar programs run by Gwangjin-gu or the Seoul Metropolitan Government between 2024 and 2026 are barred from applying. Also excluded are businesses that are suspended or closed, those without a physical storefront, owner-operated premises, businesses in restricted industries, directly operated outlets of large franchise chains, and those with outstanding local tax arrears.
The district will conduct on-site inspections and an internal review, selecting recipients based on a comprehensive assessment of operating period, business type, store size, annual revenue, whether the owner belongs to a vulnerable group, and geographic distribution across the district. Stores registered as "good-price establishments" will receive bonus points, and all applicants will be notified of the results individually.
The application deadline is Wednesday. Small business owners wishing to apply can do so through the Seoul Small Business Integrated Support Portal. For further details, contact the Seoul Credit Guarantee Foundation's Gwangjin Comprehensive Support Center.
"Since every small business owner faces different operating conditions and each store has its own improvement needs, we want to provide the right support based on expert on-site assessments," Gwangjin-gu District Mayor Kim Kyung-ho said. "We will continue to deliver practical support so that small business owners can run their businesses stably in a comfortable working environment."
seouldream01@heraldcorp.com
