The Korea Bankers Association will provide a total of 1,300 one-on-one management consulting sessions to 300 small business owners with annual sales of 100 million won or less. It will focus on selecting businesses in regional commercial districts and young small business owners, and will also support 10 workplaces with management environment improvements worth about 6 million won each.

The Korea Bankers Association said on Sept. 15 it will launch the banking sector's small business consulting support programme. Small business owners who want to participate can apply through the association's social contribution platform, Bankit.

Those eligible are small business owners with annual sales of 100 million won or less as of 2025. A total of 300 people will be selected, and each will receive 4 to 5 consulting sessions including a preliminary diagnosis.

It plans to select at least 60 percent of participants from outside the Seoul metropolitan area and major cities, or from areas without bank consulting centres. It also plans to select at least 60 percent from young small business owners born in 1988 or later.

The consulting will be tailored across 5 areas: management, brand and design, legal, technology and digital transformation, following a preliminary diagnosis for each workplace.

Among participants, 10 workplaces where improvements to the business environment are urgent will receive about 6 million won per site. Depending on the consulting results, they can improve signage, interior environments and product displays, or introduce digital devices such as POS and kiosks. There is no separate out-of-pocket contribution.

All participants will receive a report containing consulting results and management reference materials. If consent is obtained, follow-up management linked to a participant's main bank will also be supported.

Cho Yong-byeong (조용병), chairman of the Korea Bankers Association, said, "I hope that the businesses of regional and young small business owners can grow steadily and help invigorate entire regional commercial districts."