On the 9th, the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises and Startups announced that it held the first 'Small Business Consultation Council' for 2025 at the Iroom Center in Yeouido, Seoul.
Minister Oh Youngju, along with small business policy officials, the president and vice president of the Small Business Association, regional representatives from metropolitan small business associations, regional heads of the Korea Small Business Agency, and relevant experts attended.
During the council, the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises and Startups explained the key policy directions for small businesses in 2025.
It first explained policies related to 'early execution of the livelihood budget and revitalization of domestic demand.' The support projects for small businesses will start the selection process quickly from early January, aiming for maximum early execution in the first half of the year, while plans to swiftly distribute approximately 3.77 trillion won of policy funding for small businesses will start in mid-January.
The conditions for recognizing the repayment extension system for small business policy funding will be eased, and the 'small business financial burden relief policy' will include the expansion of conversion guarantee supply, as well as new support of up to 300,000 won for delivery and express delivery fees to approximately 680,000 small business owners under the 'small business management stability and restart support policy.'
It also explained a support policy for the new leap of small businesses that will provide 780 billion won in growth ladder-type policy funding to facilitate growth from 'small businesses to medium enterprises to large enterprises.'
After the policy explanation from the Ministry, there was time for discussions with local heads of small business associations, local heads of the Korea Small Business Agency, and others regarding the current status and difficulties faced by the small business sector in each region, as well as desired policies for 2025.
The heads of small business associations expressed the field's requests candidly regarding the easing of policy fund requirements, expansion of digital transformation support, and revitalization of consumer promotion campaigns.
Minister Oh Youngju noted, "Following last year, I will meet with small business owners in various fields, industries, and regions in 2025, and I will do my best to ensure that various small business policies contained in the new year's economic policy directions can be established in the field."