The Ministry of SMEs and Startups said on the 24th it held the sixth relay roundtable for small business growth at the Eungubi-seo alley-type shopping district in Daejeon under the theme of "policy direction to revitalize alley commercial districts."
This roundtable was organized as the sixth session of "relay roundtables centered on small business growth, season 2." A total of 12 people participated, including four representatives of young small business owners, Kakao, private-sector commercial district experts, and academia. They discussed directions to revitalize alley commercial districts, organizing alley commercial districts through forming cooperatives, and securing possibilities for sustainable growth.
Before the roundtable, Vice Minister II Lee Byeong-gweon toured the Eungubi-seo area, which was made into "Maengkkongi Street" by utilizing the oriental fire-bellied toad, a local ecological resource.
At the ensuing roundtable, Hong Seok-gi, head of the Small Business Management Support Center at Seo District Office in Gwangju Metropolitan City, gave a presentation titled "Leading the alley economy renaissance in Seo District, Gwangju." He shared experiences of expanding alley-type shopping district designations and Onnuri gift certificate merchants through the Alley Economy 119 project and emphasized the importance of cooperation among the administration, merchants, and residents.
Park Hye-seon, director of shared growth at Kakao, also presented "progress and outcomes of Kakao's Project Regulars." Using the platform to strengthen consolidation between alley commercial districts and regular customers, she introduced cases and takeaways that supported the sustainable growth of small business owners.
In the open discussion, participants exchanged views on policy directions to revitalize alley commercial districts, including problems that arise in the process of organizing and collaborating within alley commercial districts. They discussed the practical difficulties of voluntary organization, building trust among merchants, operating commercial districts that blend with residents, and realistic tasks to create sustainable alley commercial districts.
Vice Minister II Lee Byeong-gweon said, "Because alley commercial districts differ in conditions and characteristics by region, it is necessary to design policies while considering a variety of on-site attempts and accumulated experiences," adding, "The Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) will make this direction more concrete by establishing a new, dedicated program for alley commercial districts starting in 2026."