Gwanak-gu Opens 'Small-scale Clothing Sewing Collaboration Center'... Dongdaemun-gu Provides 500,000 Won Support for Closed Small Business Owners

[Seoul District News] Foundation Room, Pattern Room, Shared Workshop, Sample Room Established for Small Business Capacity Building and Networking... Mapo-gu Promotes 7 Resident-Selected Cooperative Governance Projects Including Children, Disabled, and Pets... Gangseo-gu Announces 'Gender Equality Fund Support Project' Contest... Dongdaemun-gu Accepts Online or In-Person Applications from March 28 Until Funds Are Exhausted for Closed or Restricted Businesses from March 22 to June 30, 2020, with Payments Within 10 Days of Eligibility Determination-

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Gwanak-gu (Mayor Park Jun-hee) announced on the 24th that it held the opening ceremony of the ‘Gwanak-gu Small-scale Clothing Manufacturing Collaboration Center,’ a joint infrastructure facility in the urban small-scale manufacturing cluster area of Sinsa, Jowon, and Miseong-dong, where small-scale clothing manufacturers are concentrated, and will begin full-scale operation from March.

The ‘Gwanak-gu Small-scale Clothing Manufacturing Collaboration Center’ is a facility established after being selected in May last year for a public project by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups to promote the organization and collaboration of small-scale manufacturers, activate the cluster area, and enhance competitiveness.

The district set up the center on the 2nd and 3rd floors of the building at 1517-1 Nambusunhwan-ro (located in Sinsa-dong) within the cluster area, reflecting the needs of small-scale manufacturers. It includes ▲cutting room and CAD room ▲education room and pattern room ▲shared workshop and sample room, equipped with high initial investment equipment such as cutting machines, pattern CAD, and sewing machines that are difficult for general small-scale manufacturers to operate.

Additionally, the district plans to support various programs for local small-scale manufacturers, including the use of shared workshops, capacity-building education, consulting, building a network of small-scale manufacturers in the cluster area, developing joint brands and products for clothing manufacturing small-scale manufacturers, and pioneering sales channels.

Based on this, the district expects to create economic value such as reducing production costs for small-scale manufacturers and contribute to the overall revitalization of the local economy through the mutual development of the clothing manufacturing industry and local commercial districts.

A district official said, “We expect that the operation of the Gwanak-gu Small-scale Clothing Manufacturing Collaboration Center will be an opportunity for the clothing manufacturing industry to once again leap to the center of the local economy,” adding, “We will continue to provide unwavering support for the operation of the center.”

Mapo-gu (Mayor Yoo Dong-gyun) announced the official start of the 2022 public-private cooperation projects, beginning with the approval of seven sector-specific cooperative projects selected by residents.

On the 24th, the district held the ‘2022 1st Mapo-gu Cooperation Council Regular Meeting’ in the large conference room on the 8th floor of the district office to execute the 2022 cooperative projects.

The meeting was held to approve the cooperative projects to be promoted throughout the year and discuss operational directions. It also included the appointment of six new private cooperation committee members who will support the district’s cooperative projects.

Since establishing the Basic Ordinance on Public-Private Cooperation in 2019 and forming the Mapo-gu Cooperation Council, the district has been laying the foundation for the development of public-private cooperation. Unlike previous resident participation projects that were limited to proposal or decision stages, the participation process has been expanded to cover the entire process from proposal to execution and evaluation.

The projects to be promoted this year were selected through processes such as resident public forums last year. These include ‘Creating Truly Walkable Streets’ with local artists, ‘Resource Circulation Practice Challenge Group’ to reduce disposable products, and providing educational content to address educational gaps caused by the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. Projects such as after-hours childcare using senior centers, creating a healthy pet culture, after-school classes for children with disabilities, and resident center autonomous programs, which were operated last year, will continue this year.

The Mapo-gu Cooperation Council is responsible for monitoring this year’s projects, discovering agendas for next year’s project execution, and promoting and educating to expand participation in cooperation. To this end, the district has formed and operated the council with 19 private members with diverse community activity experience, the district mayor, district executives, and 10 district council members.

A district official said, “2021 was a meaningful year in which Mapo-gu’s cooperative administration grew significantly through the active participation of the Cooperation Council members and local residents,” adding, “This year, we plan to provide wholehearted support to realize a true ‘Cooperative Mapo’ where residents participate from the planning stage of administration to create policies.”

Seoul Gangseo-gu (Mayor Noh Hyun-song) has taken proactive steps to create a gender-equal local community.

The district announced that it is calling for applications for the ‘2022 Gangseo-gu Gender Equality Fund Support Project’ to foster a gender-equal environment in the local community.

This call aims to actively discover and support projects that promote the spread of gender equality culture and enhance women’s rights.

The call is divided into three areas: ▲promotion of gender equality culture ▲development of women’s capabilities and expansion of social participation ▲protection of women’s human rights and welfare enhancement.

Supported projects by area include family education to promote equal family relationships, projects to encourage women’s participation in economic activities, and women’s safety support projects.

The total support amount is 81 million KRW. To receive support, applicants must secure at least 5% of the total project cost as self-funding, and operating expenses outside the project cost are not supported.

Eligibility includes non-profit corporations, non-profit organizations, or facilities with at least one year of experience in activities promoting gender equality and women’s welfare.

Corporations or organizations (facilities) wishing to apply must submit the application form, project plan, registration certificate and articles of incorporation of the corporation (organization), and major project performance records for the past year by March 7th by visiting the Gangseo-gu Family Policy Division in person, or via email or mail.

Detailed information and application forms can be found on the ‘Gangseo-gu website - Gangseo News - Notices’ section.

The district will comprehensively review the appropriateness, effectiveness, and contribution to gender equality realization of the projects through the Gender Equality Fund Operation Deliberation Committee, decide on supported organizations and amounts, and notify each organization individually by April.

A district official said, “We hope many non-profit corporations and organizations with innovative ideas for realizing gender equality and raising awareness will participate,” adding, “We will continue to discover effective projects and strive to provide more support for gender equality realization.”

Last year, the district supported nine projects with a total of 81 million KRW through the Gender Equality Fund Support Project, including visiting gender equality education, family communication programs, and support for employment and entrepreneurship of women with career interruptions, receiving positive responses.

Dongdaemun-gu (Mayor Yoo Deok-yeol) will provide 500,000 KRW in cash support to small business owners who have closed their businesses due to disadvantages such as gathering bans and business restrictions caused by COVID-19.

This cash support was decided to comfort small business owners who have suffered management difficulties due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and to encourage them to try again.

The support targets small business owners with annual sales between 1 billion and less than 12 billion KRW and fewer than five regular employees, who closed their businesses in Dongdaemun-gu in gathering ban or business restriction industries from March 22, 2020, when enhanced social distancing was implemented, to June 30 of this year. However, those who have already received support from last year’s projects are excluded.

Applications can be submitted online or in person from the 28th until funds are exhausted. Online applications are available on the Dongdaemun-gu Office website, and if online application is difficult, applicants can visit the relevant department of Dongdaemun-gu Office by industry to apply.

Required documents include a certificate of business closure and a small business confirmation certificate. Detailed information can be found in the notice section of the Dongdaemun-gu website. After screening, if eligibility is confirmed, the support fund will be paid within 10 days from the application date.

Mayor Yoo Deok-yeol of Dongdaemun-gu said, “We are sorry that small business owners have faced many difficulties due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic,” adding, “We hope this support will be a small comfort and a stepping stone for a new start for small business owners who had to make the difficult decision to close their businesses.”

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