Small Business Agency names top 'Kudos' honorees for Q2 2026

The Small Enterprise and Market Service announced Thursday that it has selected its outstanding cases for the "2026 Second-Quarter Kudos" recognition program, which honors employees based on customer praise submitted to the agency's online board.

The "Kudos" board is an online channel where small business owners and members of the public can share their experiences with agency staff — including courteous service, proactive problem-solving and field-centered administrative support.

A total of 21 submissions were received in the second quarter, and an internal vote involving 244 employees selected the top three cases.

First place went to Hwang Ji-hyeon, a manager at the Daegu North Center, recognized for her thorough guidance on loan procedures and documentation as well as her genuine empathy toward small business owners in difficulty. One customer wrote that after completing the paperwork, Hwang asked unprompted, "Was there anything that was particularly hard for you?" The customer added: "Despite her busy schedule, she took the time to understand how I was feeling, and I found myself in tears without even realizing it."

Hong Hye-jin, a manager on the specialized support team, and Nam Yun-mi, a manager at the Ansan Center, tied for second place.

Hong was recognized for her attentiveness to a foreign evaluator who fell ill with a cough and fever during a market assessment event for Baengnyeon Market. Rather than simply running the event, she found the evaluator a warm seat and brought a blanket. The evaluator said: "Her professionalism and sense of responsibility were remarkable, but what stood out most was her warmth — she put people first."

Nam was honored for clearly explaining the policy-fund system to a foreign small business owner who visited the center, and for carefully guiding the owner through documents they had not prepared in advance. The business owner said the experience inspired them: "The kindness I encountered in Korea has made me want to help others who are struggling."

Beyond the top three, the agency received a range of submissions highlighting staff who considered situations from the small business owner's perspective and proactively identified support options on their behalf.

One case involved a staff member who continued to follow up with a small business owner whose policy-fund application had been rejected, monitoring the owner's situation into the following year and providing timely feedback until the owner ultimately secured a loan.

Other recognized cases included a staff member who explained technical jargon in plain language and protected a small business owner from paying unnecessary fees due to improper third-party interference. Also praised was an employee who carefully gathered customer feedback on difficulties with a newly updated application system and actively relayed suggestions for improvement.

Particularly noted were staff who tailored their guidance to customers struggling with online services due to age or limited digital literacy, and who went beyond the immediate inquiry to identify and explain other support programs the customer might be eligible for.

Customers who used the Kudos board shared their appreciation, writing that the experience "shattered the stereotype that public institution employees are passive" and that "listening to users' frustrations and working to address them is what genuine public service truly looks like."

Agency President In Tae-yeon said the public recognition was "a precious result of the efforts of staff who meet small business owners face to face in the field," adding that the agency would "continue to listen closely to the voices of small business owners and deliver warm, trustworthy public service through proactive administration that people can truly feel."