Lawmaker Oh Se-hee criticizes 30 eok won small-business pilot at parliamentary audit

Democratic Party lawmaker Oh Se-hee said on the 16th that she had criticized the Korea SMEs and Startups Distribution Agency's 'Brand Small Business Jump-up' pilot program at a parliamentary audit. The program, being implemented for the first time this year, has a budget of 30 eok won.

The government's draft budget for next year doubles the program's allocation from the existing 30 eok won to 60 eok won. Thirty small businesses were selected, with 28.3 applicants for every available place. Selected businesses also face a contribution of 300 man won.

According to Oh's analysis of assessment records for selecting the implementing agency, one evaluator entered scores without writing evaluation comments. SM C&C was selected as the final implementing agency without addressing evaluators' calls for performance indicators, greater program effectiveness and procedures to check whether performance targets were met.

Oh said the earlier 'Gachi Sapsida' program had produced almost no tangible benefits such as increased small-business sales, and warned against repeating that failure. She called for clear performance targets and stricter performance verification to help small businesses make a fresh start.

Lee Tae-sik, head of the Korea SMEs and Startups Distribution Agency, responded that he would set performance targets and properly monitor the program through its completion.