The Broadcast Media Communications Commission said on Tuesday it selected 114 small merchants for the "2026 small merchant broadcast advertising production support programme". The programme aims to help small merchants with fewer than 10 full-time employees strengthen their self-reliance and to support local economies and invigorate the broadcast advertising market.

Selected small merchants will receive support of up to 9 million won within a limit of 90 percent of broadcast advertising production and airtime costs, regardless of whether the ad is for TV or radio. One-on-one tailored marketing consulting by broadcast advertising experts will also be provided.

A total of 615 companies applied for the programme. The commission prioritised 83 companies based outside the Seoul metropolitan area, including the Busan-Gyeongnam and Gwangju-Jeolla regions, after assessing business operation plans and competitiveness, advertising suitability and expected growth effects. The remaining 31 companies were selected in order of their overall evaluation scores.

An analysis of the programme's effects last year showed that the average sales of supported small merchants rose 7.9 percent compared with 2024, and employment increased 11.8 percent. Specifically, total sales of 193 surveyed small merchants rose to 140.3 billion won in 2025 from 130.1 billion won in 2024, and the number of employees increased to 323 from 289. A total of 2.1 billion won was spent on broadcast advertising production and airtime costs, with 1.7 billion won in government support plus about 400 million won in the merchants' own funds, and it also contributed to creating new advertising demand.

Chairman Jong-cheol Kim (김종철) said he hoped the broadcast advertising support would provide practical help to small merchants and contribute to the development of the broadcast advertising market and local economies. He added he would work to ensure more small merchants can benefit.