1,000 businesses to receive support for high-efficiency energy appliances; 300 to get help breaking into online sales channels; bank pledges to lead on local economic revitalization and inclusive finance
Hana Bank announced Wednesday it will run a "Small Business Competitiveness Enhancement Support Project" to help small business owners manage their operations. The program targets 1,300 businesses in total, with applications open for three weeks starting Thursday.
Under the "High-Efficiency Energy Appliance Introduction Support Project," the bank will cover appliance purchase costs of up to 2 million won ($1,320) for 1,000 businesses. Eligible items are energy-rated Class 1 through 3 appliances: air conditioners (including heating and cooling units), refrigerators (including kimchi refrigerators), washing machines, clothes dryers, air purifiers and dehumidifiers.
A separate "Online Sales Channel Development Support Project" targets small business owners looking to enter online markets and diversify their sales. The bank will select 300 businesses and provide solutions to help them list on online platforms and boost sales activity.
The program covers three areas of support: assistance with online platform entry — including product design improvements, page creation and sales strategy development; live commerce support, covering broadcast planning and influencer recruitment; and crowdfunding support, including reward-based crowdfunding planning and funding page setup.
Hana Bank will select participating businesses through a comprehensive review of each applicant's business viability, sustainability and the appropriateness of the support requested. Businesses located within designated "alley-type shopping districts" under the Special Act on the Promotion of Traditional Markets and Shopping Districts that have completed approval to register as Onnuri gift certificate merchants will receive preferential treatment during the review.
Hana Financial Group announced last month, through its "Inclusive Finance Roadmap," plans to launch the "Hana The Soho Success Ladder Loan," a 1 trillion won credit facility. The loan offers up to 10 million won per borrower at a minimum annual interest rate of 4.5 percent, targeting small business owners who are repaying their bank loans without delinquency or have fully repaid them.
"This small business competitiveness enhancement support project was designed to make a real difference to owners' operational competitiveness by helping cut energy costs and supporting their entry into digital and online markets," a Hana Bank official said. "We will continue to lead the way in revitalizing local economies and practicing inclusive finance through a range of support projects that reflect what we hear from businesses on the ground."
hyuk@heraldcorp.com
