GS25 Opens Jeju Island's First 'Jahwal Enterprise' Convenience Store

At the opening ceremony of Jeju Island's first 'self-sufficiency enterprise' GS25 Seogwi Plaza branch, business owner Kim Yeoryeong and key stakeholders are removing the opening banner.

[Asia Economy Reporter Yuri Kim] GS Retail's convenience store GS25 announced on the 21st that it held the opening ceremony of GS25 Seogwi Plaza Branch, the first 'self-sufficiency enterprise' in Jeju Island.

In June 2017, GS Retail signed a business agreement with the Korea Self-Sufficiency Welfare Development Institute under the Ministry of Health and Welfare and has been operating the social contribution-type convenience store 'Tomorrow Store' under the slogan "A happy tomorrow made through My job" to support self-sufficiency work projects for vulnerable groups in the local community.

GS25 calls convenience stores opened by self-sufficiency participants who gained store operation experience while working at 'Tomorrow Store' as 'self-sufficiency enterprise' convenience stores and provides benefits such as franchise fee discounts and business support.

In January last year, GS25 and the Seogwipo Workplace Sharing Regional Self-Sufficiency Center first introduced the GS25 Seogwi Plaza Branch, a 'Tomorrow Store' branch, for Jeju Island's self-sufficiency work project. Kim Yeo-ryeong, the manager who was a self-sufficiency participant at the store, built her will and confidence for self-sufficiency through work, and later wished to take over and operate GS25 Seogwi Plaza Branch. GS25 and the Seogwipo Workplace Sharing Regional Self-Sufficiency Center converted GS25 Seogwi Plaza Branch into a 'self-sufficiency enterprise' in November this year.

The conversion of GS25 Seogwi Plaza Branch into a 'self-sufficiency enterprise' was supported by both public and private sectors, including GS25's franchise fee discount benefits and the Korea Self-Sufficiency Welfare Development Institute's support of startup costs and operating funds worth 80 million KRW.

The opening ceremony was attended by key officials including Oh Jin-seok, Vice President of GS Retail; Jung Jae-hyung, Head of GS Retail Convenience Store Support Division; Kim Dae-jin, Provincial Assembly Member; Lee Byung-hak, Director of Korea Self-Sufficiency Welfare Development Institute; and Kim Doo-seon, Director of Seogwipo Workplace Sharing Regional Self-Sufficiency Center.

Oh Jin-seok, Vice President of GS Retail (Head of Convenience Store Business Division), said, "GS25 has realized social public value by introducing various social contribution-type stores, providing opportunities for vulnerable groups to become self-reliant, and creating jobs in various fields. We will continue to practice ESG (Environment, Social, Governance) management that grows together with local communities through active job creation in socially necessary areas."

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