Aspiring entrepreneurs eligible for free services
The Seoul Metropolitan Government, in conjunction with the Seoul Business Agency, has created the Seoul Global Business Support Center to make Seoul an ideal environment for foreign businesses.The center is now recruiting entrepreneurs or investors who are interested in starting a business in Seoul for its first program, tentatively titled the “Foreign Business Incubation Service.” The purpose of the program is to help cultivate and support promising foreign businesses in their beginning stages by providing free office space and specialized business consulting.
Three applicants will be chosen and there are no limitations on the industry of the selected businesses. The office space for selected candidates will be housed within the Seoul Global Business Support Center’s offices on the second floor of the COEX Exhibition Hall in Samseong-dong, southern Seoul. In addition, office necessities such as computer, Internet and phone services will also be furnished free of charge and typical management and maintenance fees will be waived. The duration of the lease will be up to six months, based on the results of the selection process.
Qualified applicants will be foreigners currently residing in Korea whose visas permit them to start a private business or foreign investment within Seoul. Successful candidates will have no legal or financial disqualifications and should be ready to move into their new office when the Seoul Global Business Support Center opens, slated to be May 14.
A complete application must include an application form (downloadable from the Seoul Global Center’s Web site http://global.seoul.go.kr under the News section), a business plan, a resume and a copy of your passport and visa. Applicants will be screened in two rounds - application and interview rounds. Candidates who pass the application round will be notified on May 5 and individual interviews will be held on May 7. Final decisions will be made on May 8 and all successful applicants will be individually notified via phone or e-mail.
Applications can be submitted by e-mail or post, but regardless of the delivery method, all applications must be received by May 2. E-mail submissions should be sent to Mr. Kim Tae-hoon at tk277@sba.seoul.kr. To send submissions by post, address your application to Mr. Kim Tae-hoon, International Trade Team, Seoul Business Association, 514 Daechi 3-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul 135-283, Korea. For additional inquiries, contact Kim by e-mail tk277@sba.seoul.kr or phone (02) 2222-3783.
By Shannon Heit Contributing writer [shannon.sgc@gmail.com]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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