Dongjak-gu, led by District Mayor Ryu Sam-yeong, is rolling out its "2026 Second-Half Small Business Individual Signage Improvement Project" to replace aging signs, improve the urban streetscape and ease the financial burden on small business owners.
The project targets 36 small businesses currently operating in the district, offering up to 2 million won ($1,360) per shop — one sign per business — to cover the cost of replacing and installing new signs.
The district has committed a total budget of 160 million won this year, with a goal of supporting 80 businesses. In the first half of the year, it completed sign replacements for 44 businesses and removed 26 illegal signs from 23 of those locations.
Applications for the second-half program open Monday. The district will conduct a first-round document review and outdoor advertising screening through September to select final recipients. Illegal advertising materials will be removed and new signs fabricated and installed in October, with on-site inspections and subsidy payments to follow in November.
Small business owners wishing to apply may download an application form from the Dongjak-gu website from Monday through Aug. 20, and submit it in person or by email to the district office's Construction Administration Division.
To support the local economy, sign fabrication and installation must be carried out exclusively by outdoor advertising businesses registered within the district. Participants will also be required to follow the district's design guidelines to maintain a clean and orderly streetscape.
Once the project wraps up in December, the district plans to conduct a satisfaction survey among participants to assess outcomes and use the results as baseline data for planning future programs.
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