60,000 SMEs Supported with Up to 4 Million KRW per Company for Non-Face-to-Face Work Environment Setup

Recruitment of Companies Wishing to Establish Non-Face-to-Face Work Environments Such as Video Conferencing and Remote Work Starting February 16

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jong-hwa] The Ministry of SMEs and Startups is recruiting demand companies for this year's 'Non-face-to-face Service Voucher Project.'

On the 28th, the Ministry announced that it will continuously recruit demand companies wishing to participate in the '2021 Non-face-to-face Service Voucher Project' from February 16th until the budget is exhausted.

The 'Non-face-to-face Service Voucher Project' is a program that supports small and venture companies with vouchers worth up to 4 million KRW per company (including a 10% self-payment) to easily use non-face-to-face services in six areas: video conferencing, telecommuting, network and security solutions, edutech, care services, and consulting related to the introduction of non-face-to-face systems.

This Year's Budget is 216 Billion KRW, Benefiting 60,000 SMEs

The budget for this year is 216 billion KRW, providing benefits to 60,000 small and medium enterprises. Eligible companies include all SMEs that do not fall under exclusion criteria such as tax delinquency or entertainment businesses. Considering the promotion of non-face-to-face work environment transition for new companies, companies selected last year are excluded from applying.

However, disabled-owned companies and women-owned companies with a high need for non-face-to-face service support can receive support this year even if they were selected last year, provided they do not fall under exclusion criteria.

Applications can only be made by the representative or the person in charge of the applying company through the 'K-Non-face-to-face Voucher Platform' (www.k-voucher.kr). If the person in charge applies, their employment at the applying company is verified through the four major social insurance subscriber list.

This year, to enable actual demand companies to use vouchers quickly, the payment deadline has been shortened from the previous 8 months to 90 days. Companies that do not make at least one voucher payment within 60 days will have their selection canceled, allowing voucher usage rights to be transferred immediately to companies with actual demand.

Within the voucher limit (4 million KRW), the payment limit for service products from one supplier company is restricted to 2 million KRW, and companies must use products from at least two or more supplier companies. This is to minimize concentration in specific service areas and to provide multiple supplier companies with opportunities to develop sales channels.

To make it easier to compare and select services provided by supplier companies, a standard registration form including service details and usage periods will be applied. The previously unrestricted service product usage period will be realistically limited to within two years to strengthen post-management.

Strengthening Performance Inspection System and Strict Crackdown on Fraudulent Activities

Starting this year, a national monitoring group will be operated to directly experience and evaluate service products, and a performance inspection system will be established by collecting and analyzing service usage data through platform advancement to verify the actual usage status of demand companies.

Suspected cases of fraudulent activities such as collusion between supplier companies and demand companies or unfair business practices due to overheated competition among supplier companies will be strongly dealt with through administrative measures such as cancellation of selection and subsidy recovery, as well as criminal prosecution after on-site investigations by a public-private joint inspection team.

Detailed information on the project announcement can be found on the Ministry of SMEs and Startups website (www.mss.go.kr) or the 'K-Non-face-to-face Voucher Platform' (www.k-voucher.kr), and applications can be submitted online through the platform starting February 16th (Tuesday).

Kim Juhwa, Director of the Non-face-to-face Economy Division at the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, said, "The Non-face-to-face Service Voucher Project is a program promoted to support SMEs in building non-face-to-face work environments in response to COVID-19 and to foster supplier companies. We will support many SMEs to quickly transition to digital methods and focus on selective support for demand companies and strengthening service quality management to enhance project performance."

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