North Gyeongsang Province seeks youth startups for Lotte ON online sales event

North Gyeongsang Province is accepting applications from youth-run startups to participate in an online sales exhibition on Lotte ON, the province announced Tuesday. The recruitment drive runs through Aug. 21 and aims to expand online sales channels and strengthen market competitiveness for products made by young entrepreneurs in the province.

Eligible applicants must be youth-founded companies registered in North Gyeongsang Province, hold a valid mail-order business license, and be led by a representative between the ages of 19 and 39 — born in 1987 or later.

The province plans to select around 85 companies. Applicants will first undergo a document screening, followed by a sales suitability assessment by platform merchandise directors before final selections are made.

Details on the application process are available through the North Gyeongsang Province Economic Promotion Institute's public welfare economy support team or its website.

Selected companies will receive comprehensive support covering every stage of online sales — from listing in the "Young CEO" section on Lotte ON and AI-powered product page creation, to consulting and sales mentoring from platform merchandise directors, online marketing assistance, discount coupons and exclusive deal promotions.

Alongside this, the province will run seasonal themed exhibitions and a youth sales festival, with focused promotions timed to peak consumer periods including the summer holiday season, chuseok and year-end.

"We will actively support the entire process — from onboarding to marketing and sales promotion — so that this exhibition translates into stronger brand competitiveness and higher sales for youth startups," said Lee Sang-su, director of the Local Era Policy Bureau at North Gyeongsang Province.