Seongdong-gu Leads Youth Merchant Innovation Project Based on Local Resources

Seongdong-gu Signs Business Agreement with 7 Groups Selected in the ‘Youth Local Creator Development Contest’ Composed of Young Merchants

Up to 6 million KRW Support per Group... Developing Seongsu, a Traditional Liquor Brand by Fostering Seongdong-gu Hub Brands and Breweries Alliance

Seongdong-gu signed agreements with seven organizations selected for the Youth Local Creator Development Contest on the 19th. (Photo by Jung Won-oh, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, center)

Seongdong-gu (Mayor Jeong Wono) announced on the 19th that it has signed business agreements with seven groups selected in the ‘Youth Local Creator Development Contest,’ aimed at creating business models based on local resources.

This contest was held to discover and support creative business ideas from young merchants in Seongdong-gu, thereby promoting the development of local content.

Eligibility required applicants to be young merchants aged between 19 and 39, operating businesses located in Seongdong-gu, and organized as groups or associations of at least three members. The seven selected teams cover four fields: hub brands, local food, and smart tourism.

These groups will integrate innovative ideas based on regional characteristics and resources to create local value and business models, receiving up to 6 million KRW in project funding.

Among the selected groups, the Seongdong Youth Merchants Association, composed of operators of local restaurants in Haengdang-dong commercial district, will work on fostering Seongdong-gu hub brands. They plan to build the ‘Wangsimni Matshulreong’ brand by leveraging local features and linking with major tourist attractions in the district, including producing YouTube content.

The Seongdong Brewery Alliance has proposed developing ‘Seongsu,’ a traditional liquor product based in Seongdong-gu. By adopting a joint production method among breweries, they aim to reduce manufacturing costs and establish cooperative relationships with local small business owners. They will also hold the ‘Soso Brewery Market’ in September.

Unimind Lab, led by an IT expert who is a person with disabilities, will develop cultural experience courses in Seongdong-gu for tourism-vulnerable groups such as people with disabilities. They will focus on creating barrier-free courses (a world without physical and institutional barriers for socially disadvantaged groups) and produce a web guidebook.

Seongdong-gu enacted an ordinance last September, the first nationwide, to support the development of young merchants. Starting with this contest, the district plans to promote management education, startup consulting, and marketing training to enhance the professional capabilities of young merchants.

Jeong Wono, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, stated, “Through this contest project, we will strive not only to create local value but also to strengthen the capabilities of young merchants and contribute to revitalizing the local economy.”

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