Jongno-gu, Changsin-dong, and Other Sewing Apparel Companies Receive Increased Support

Jongno-gu Selected for Ministry of SMEs and Startups Public Project… Boosting Support for Small Manufacturers

Achievement in Designating Six Neighborhoods Including Changsin-dong as ‘Clothing Manufacturing Small Manufacturer Cluster’… Securing Momentum to Revitalize Jongno’s Representative Local Industry, the Sewing Industry

Investing 3 Billion KRW Over 3 Years to Establish a Complex Support Center for Small Manufacturers, Operating Capacity Building Programs, and Focusing on Joint Brand Development

Jeong Munheon, Mayor of Jongno District

Jongno-gu (Mayor Jeong Munheon) achieved a great success by being finally selected on the 26th of last month for the '2023 Small Manufacturer Complex Support Center Establishment and Operation Project' announced by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, securing a total project budget of 3 billion KRW.

As a result, over the next three years, various benefits will be provided to small manufacturers centered around the cluster areas within the district, including Changsin-dong, enabling dedicated efforts toward the revival of the sewing industry and strengthening the capabilities of related personnel.

This public project involves designating ‘urban small manufacturer clusters’ and establishing complex support centers that comprehensively support everything from smart manufacturing equipment to product development, exhibitions and sales, and online marketing.

Previously, the district had been striving to revitalize and advance the sewing industry, which represents Jongno’s local industry but has been declining due to poor working conditions and irregular order reception. As part of this effort, the district established the Basic Plan for Revitalizing Jongno’s Fashion and Apparel Industry in February and applied for the project by designating six neighborhoods including Changsin-dong as cluster areas.

Following the final selection, the district will invest city and district funds to build a 589㎡ clothing manufacturing small manufacturer complex support center within the cluster area, aiming to support product planning, design, product development, exhibition, and sales for clothing manufacturing small manufacturers.

In particular, the district will focus on ▲developing joint brands and supporting joint product production ▲providing cutting services using smart automatic cutting equipment ▲offering capacity-building education for small manufacturers ▲customized consulting for small manufacturers ▲collaboration programs (industry-academia-research).

Additionally, Jongno 1, 2, 3, 4-ga-dong, Jongno 5, 6-ga-dong, Changsin 1-dong, Changsin 2-dong, Sungin 1-dong, and Sungin 2-dong have been designated as C14 (Manufacture of Wearing Apparel, Apparel Accessories, and Fur Products) cluster areas, granting small manufacturers in these regions preferential treatment not only in financial benefits but also in various support policies implemented by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups.

Mayor Jeong Munheon stated, “The designated cluster areas house more than 90% of all sewing businesses in the district. We expect that this selection will breathe new life into the sewing industry, which is considered a representative specialized industry of Jongno. We will continue to work closely with the central government to ensure that Jongno-gu’s fashion and apparel industry transforms into a high value-added industry.”

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