Year-End and New Year Special Quarantine: Additional 'Support Fund' Paid to 156,000 Small Business Owners Including Ski Resorts

An Additional 3 Million KRW Per Person for Businesses Under Gathering Ban, 2 Million KRW for Businesses with Operating Restrictions

On the 13th, small business owners affected by the resurgence of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) are receiving consultations related to the Support Fund (3rd Disaster Relief Fund) at the Seoul Jungbu Center of the Small Enterprise and Market Service. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] The government will add small business owners affected by the year-end and New Year special quarantine measures to the eligibility list for the Support Fund and provide disaster relief payments.

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced on the 24th that it will add 156,000 people to the list of recipients for the Small Business Support Fund (3rd disaster relief payment) and will accept online applications starting from the 25th.

By industry, this includes 10,000 small business owners operating facilities subject to the year-end and New Year special quarantine measures such as outdoor winter sports and lodging, and 57,000 people from business sectors subject to gathering bans or operational restrictions additionally submitted by local governments and the Ministry of Education. Businesses under gathering bans will receive 3 million KRW per person, and those under operational restrictions will receive 2 million KRW.

Among general businesses that did not receive the New Hope Fund (2nd disaster relief payment) (those opened between January and November last year), 65,000 whose December sales last year were lower than the average sales from September to November will receive 1 million KRW each. Additionally, 24,000 small business owners who received the New Hope Fund but were not included in the first round of the Support Fund payments are also included in the additional recipients.

Eligible recipients can apply by accessing the dedicated Support Fund website following the guidance text message sent from 6 a.m. on the 25th. Those who do not receive the message can check their eligibility and apply on the website. Applications submitted by noon will be paid from 2 p.m. the same day, and those submitted by midnight will be paid from 3 a.m. the following day.

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups will automatically pay the difference (2 million KRW or 1 million KRW) from the 27th to small business owners under gathering bans or operational restrictions who only received 1 million KRW during the first payment, without requiring a separate application.

Among small business owners owning multiple businesses, those classified as general businesses who received 1 million KRW and whose other businesses qualify under gathering bans or operational restrictions in this additional payment will be able to receive the difference after verification starting from the 1st of next month.

Small business owners under gathering bans or operational restrictions who are not included in this additional target group can receive support after verification starting next month by obtaining a 'Social Distancing Quarantine Measure Administrative Order Compliance Certificate' from the 25th. Academies, private institutes, and study rooms can obtain the certificate from the education office or education support office, while other businesses under gathering bans or operational restrictions can obtain it from local governments.

Previously, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups paid 3.5091 trillion KRW to 2.54 million applicants who applied for the Support Fund between the 11th and 23rd.

A ministry official stated, "From the 27th to the 5th of next month, we plan to make phone calls to up to 380,000 small business owners to ensure as many as possible receive support before the Lunar New Year holiday."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.