Naver Happybean said on Oct. 21 it will work with the Small Enterprise and Market Service to support local small merchants in expanding overseas sales channels.

The two organisations will operate a "large, medium and small companies joint overseas expansion, regional co-prosperity pavilion" at the "2026 Export Boomup Korea" event to be held at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, on Oct. 21-22.

Six small merchants from North Jeolla and Jeju that took part in "Our Neighborhood Crowdfunding", run by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups and SEMAS, will participate in the event. Naver Happybean and SEMAS will showcase these companies' flagship products and support promotion to overseas buyers and efforts to find export sales channels.

"Our Neighborhood Crowdfunding" is a project that supports fundraising and sales channel expansion by using a crowdfunding model tailored for small merchants.

Naver Happybean and SEMAS have supported local small merchants through the project so they can meet domestic consumers. This time, they will link support with the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA)'s overseas network and export assistance to expand the scope of support to overseas markets.

Online, it will introduce products from participating companies through a special exhibition on Naver Happybean's "Empathy Store". It will also carry out sales and promotion to domestic consumers alongside export consultations.

Support for participation in overseas trade fairs will also continue. The two organisations plan to support eight companies that took part in Our Neighborhood Crowdfunding to participate in "2026 Seoul Food in Bangkok" to be held in Bangkok on Dec. 2.

A Naver Happybean official said, "We want to support local small merchants so they can secure new growth opportunities in overseas markets as well." The official added, "We will work with diverse partners to broaden sales channels for regional brands."