The Broadcasting Media Telecommunications Commission is expanding nationwide the Do-yak Market programme that supports home shopping sales for regional small and midsize enterprises and small merchants.

BamITongwi said on Aug. 31 it will increase the number of participating home shopping companies and the regions supported, backing a total of 41 companies this year.

Do-yak Market identifies regional small and midsize enterprises and small merchants that have difficulty securing distribution channels and promoting products. It supports their entry and on-air sales on TV home shopping and data home shopping channels.

Last year, 7 TV home shopping companies took part and supported 21 regional small and midsize enterprises and small merchants in South Jeolla and North Gyeongsang provinces. The programme recorded about 890 million won in sales through 49 broadcasts.

This year, the number of participating home shopping companies expands to 12 TV and data home shopping operators from 7 TV home shopping operators. The support area is also broadened nationwide. The number of supported companies will increase to 41 from 21.

This year's first broadcast began on Aug. 21 on NS Home Shopping, selling Jeju sweet pumpkins from Jaeil Yeongnong Agricultural Association Corporation. After Fruit Dream's apples on Aug. 24, Shinsegae Shopping will sell Hanulchan's abalone on Aug. 31.

BamITongwi is awarding extra points in the selection process to support companies with no home shopping sales experience in developing new sales channels.

BamITongwi cooperated in June with 9 regional Korea Post headquarters, the Korea Postal Service Promotion Agency (POSA), the Korea Federation of SMEs and others to identify first 150 regional products, including agricultural, fishery and livestock goods, processed foods and household items.

It is then matching demand between participating companies and home shopping operators, and each home shopping operator is reviewing product competitiveness, production and inventory capacity, quality assurance and broadcast suitability to select the supported companies. The final 41 firms are expected to be confirmed in August.

Products from selected companies will be broadcast through the end of the year in the order they complete preparations such as quality assurance procedures and securing production and inventory.

Starting this year, the programme will support not only home shopping broadcasts but also online promotion using creators. BamITongwi plans to select items based on online sales suitability and key consumer segments, then produce short-form and review content for use on YouTube and Instagram and use it for online promotion and sales starting in the fourth quarter.

BamITongwi Chairman Kim Jong-cheol (김종철) said, "I hope it will help participating companies expand their sales channels and grow sales in a meaningful way by providing an opportunity to enter a large distribution channel called home shopping and linking it to online promotion as well."