Ten youth small businesses take part in Suncheon Small Business Association event
The 2026 Suncheon Youth Small Business Connect Fair, organized by the Suncheon Small Business Association to foster growth and networking among local young entrepreneurs, concluded successfully Friday at the South Jeolla Province Content Korea Lab in Suncheon.
The event was organized by the association's youth committee as part of the 2026 Suncheon Community Revitalization Project. It gave local youth small-business owners a platform to showcase their brand and business competitiveness and gauge their growth potential through evaluations by experts and members of the public.
Representatives from major local institutions and organizations who shared the event's goal of strengthening the self-sufficiency of young entrepreneurs and building a foundation for sustainable growth also attended, offering encouragement and pledging mutual cooperation.
Suncheon Mayor Son Hun-mo, Suncheon City Council Culture and Economy Committee Chairman Jeong Gwang-hyeon, city lawmakers Kim Mi-young, Lee Young-ran, Kim Seong-ha and Lee Jae-hyeon, Suncheon Nonghyup Chairman Choe Nam-hyu, Gwangju Bank Nam-Suncheon branch manager Lee Ju-young, Small Enterprise and Market Service Suncheon Center Director Yang Sun-hwa and South Jeolla Credit Guarantee Foundation Director Ryu Chang-gyu were among those in attendance.
Suncheon Small Business Association President Ko Young-woo praised the passion and potential of the young entrepreneurs and pledged the association's active support.
"Suncheon is a dynamic city where young small-business owners actively connect and continue to take on new challenges," Ko said. "The passion and creative spirit of the young people who stood here today are the greatest asset that will lead Suncheon's local economy into the future."
Mayor Son expressed gratitude for the event, which the young entrepreneurs had organized themselves, and took note of the growth potential of local youth brands.
Son encouraged the participants for putting together a meaningful event driven by passion and creativity, and said he would explore ways to have outstanding products from Suncheon's young small-business owners selected as gifts for the city's hometown love donation program.
Suncheon City Council Culture and Economy Committee Chairman Jeong also said policy support for youth small businesses was critical, and pledged to push for a budget expansion for youth small-business programs next year.
Suncheon Nonghyup Chairman Choe Nam-hyu drew on the difficulties he faced as a young person to express solidarity with the participants, and said he would seek and support ways for young people, farmers and the agricultural cooperative to grow together.
Ten youth small businesses took part in the event's centerpiece programs: brand PR presentations and a product review session.
The participating businesses were Nuiz (CEO Kim Su-eun), Grain Space (CEO Kwon Hyeon-jeong), Sehoney (CEO Jeong Se-heon), Melibon (Manager Seo Se-gyeong), Labor Law Office Mir (labor attorney Jo Su-rin), Gosolong (CEO Jang Jin-su), Chon's Lab (CEO Oh Tae-min), Dongdong Baking Lab (CEO Choe Dong-mun), Steit (CEO Baek Min-gyeong) and Mandaejae (CEO Jang Jin-yeong).
Each business introduced its founding story, brand philosophy, key products and services, and future growth vision, highlighting what sets it apart from competitors.
Participants also staffed booths on site, where they presented their products and services directly and engaged with attendees.
The event stood out for selecting top businesses by combining scores from a panel of expert judges with on-site votes cast by a youth and public evaluation group.
By incorporating both expert assessments of business viability and real consumer perspectives, the event gave participants a chance to gauge market reaction and chart a path for future development.
In the final results, Mandaejae (CEO Jang Jin-yeong) took first place, Dongdong Baking Lab (CEO Choe Dong-mun) came in second and Gosolong (CEO Jang Jin-su) finished third.
The top finishers were recognized for their brand competitiveness and growth potential, and the event gave all participants a new opportunity to forge connections between their businesses and the local community.
Ju Chi-hun, chairman of the association's youth committee, said it was important to build an environment where young people in Suncheon could challenge themselves, put down roots and grow locally rather than leaving the city in search of greater opportunities. "We will continue to reflect the on-the-ground voices of young small-business owners and work with relevant organizations to expand practical opportunities for growth," he said.
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