The Ministry of SMEs and Startups and the Korea Small and Medium Venture Business Distribution Service announced on the 27th that they have launched a "TOPS program" to foster online brand small business owners this year. It is a program that focuses on online sales so that small business owners with competitive products can meet more customers on online platforms.
Ten online platforms will participate in the TOPS program, which was newly established this year. SSG, Gmarket, Kakao, Hyundai Home Shopping, and Lotte On and Musinsa will participate in the food sector and in the fashion and beauty sectors. In the field of accommodation and restaurants, Korean people of Here and Baedal will participate, while SK Stoa and Grip are listed in the overall (excluding food).
The Ministry of SMEs and Startups and Han Yu-won introduced a step-by-step support method to benefit small business owners with high growth potential. Of the 3,000 small business owners selected after the application, only 300 companies, or the top 10%, will advance to the second stage, and 10% of them will be selected again to finally select 30 small business owners as the "TOPS of the Year."
Lee Tae-sik, CEO of Han Yu-won, which runs the program exclusively, said, "We will focus on supporting small business owners who participate in the project to become small businesses." Small business owners who wish to participate in the TOPS program can apply by the 10th of next month through the website as per the board.
[Reporter Lee Yoojin]
