Small businesses that have operated in Ulju County for at least six months may apply for financial support to improve storefronts or purchase digital equipment. The subsidy covers up to 90% of the supply price, with a maximum grant of KRW 3 million per business. Applications must be submitted by 6:00 p.m. on August 7, 2026.
Program at a Glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Administrators | Ulju County and the Ulsan Small Business Happiness Dream Center |
| Expected recipients | Approximately 71 businesses, subject to available funding |
| Maximum subsidy | Up to 90% of the supply price, capped at KRW 3 million per business |
| Applicant contribution | At least 10% of the supply price, plus VAT, customs duties, and any amount above the subsidy limit |
| Application period | July 27 through 6:00 p.m. on August 7, 2026 |
| Online application | Ulsan Small Business Happiness Dream Center website |
| In-person application | August 6–7 only for applicants unable to apply online, at Ulju County Office or the Happiness Dream Center |
| Selection announcement | Expected August 21, 2026, through the center website and text message |
| Contact | Ulsan Small Business Happiness Dream Center: 052-283-8390 |
Who Is Eligible?
Applicants must have a registered business location in Ulju County and must have operated continuously for at least six months as of the application deadline. The opening date shown on the business registration certificate must be February 8, 2026, or earlier.
The business must also meet Korea’s small-business standards. Retail, wholesale, restaurant, lodging, and service businesses must have fewer than five regular employees. Mining, manufacturing, construction, and transportation businesses must have fewer than ten regular employees.
The address on the business registration certificate must match the location where the improvements will be made. If a residence and business share the same property, the commercial area must be physically separated from the living area.
What Expenses Are Covered?
Both storefront improvements and eligible digital equipment are subsidized at up to 90% of the supply price, excluding VAT, with a maximum grant of KRW 3 million. The business owner must pay at least 10% of the supply price, all VAT, and any cost exceeding the grant ceiling.
Storefront and Facility Improvements
- Outdoor signs, including LED, flex-face, channel-letter, projecting, and freestanding signs
- Interior work such as wallpaper, flooring, lighting, awnings, window frames, and window film
- Fixed product shelves and display fixtures
- Non-movable facilities and equipment directly required for business, manufacturing, or sales
- Desks and chairs used inside private educational institutes
Digital Equipment
- POS terminals and POS software
- Self-service payment systems, including accessible kiosks
- Table-order systems
- Serving robots
For example, if eligible equipment has a supply price of KRW 3 million and VAT of KRW 300,000, the subsidy would be KRW 2.7 million. The owner would pay the remaining KRW 300,000 of the supply price plus KRW 300,000 in VAT. If the supply price is KRW 4 million, 90% would be KRW 3.6 million, but the grant would still be capped at KRW 3 million.
How to Apply
Online applications are accepted from July 27 until 6:00 p.m. on August 7, 2026. After registering on the Happiness Dream Center website, navigate to the online application section for the business environment improvement program and upload the application, supporting documents, and photographs of the business interior and exterior.
In-person applications are available only to applicants who cannot apply online. They will be accepted on August 6 and 7 at the first floor of Ulju County Office or at the Ulsan Small Business Happiness Dream Center. Offices close for lunch from noon to 1:00 p.m. The business owner must visit in person with identification; proxy and group submissions are not accepted.
Visit the Ulsan Small Business Happiness Dream Center application website
Documents to Prepare
- Eligibility checklist and program application
- Consent forms for the collection, use, and sharing of personal and business information
- Consent for use of the integrated SME support management system
- Business registration certificate
- Lease agreement for rented premises
- Local tax payment certificate valid beyond the application deadline
- Sales documentation for 2025 and the first half of 2026
- Evidence of eligibility for priority points, if applicable
- Small Business Confirmation Certificate for incorporated businesses
Business registration and local tax certificates must have been issued on or after July 20, 2026. Taxable businesses should prepare a VAT taxable sales certificate, while tax-exempt businesses should provide a tax-exempt business income certificate. Missing or late documents may result in disqualification.
Selection Criteria and Priority Points
Approximately 71 businesses are expected to be selected. Applicants will be scored based on operating history, sales, and the scale of their leased premises. Ties will be resolved by longer operating history, lower sales, previous support history, and lower lease deposits, in that order.
Additional points may be available to applicants who completed an eligible Happiness Dream Center academy or consulting program between August 8, 2025, and August 7, 2026; members of designated socially vulnerable groups; and people who moved to Ulju County by February 8, 2026, and have lived there continuously for at least six months by the deadline.
Who Cannot Apply?
- Businesses that are closed, suspended, or not actually operating
- Company-owned or franchised outlets of large corporate franchises
- Golf courses, entertainment bars, and other excluded luxury or entertainment businesses
- Businesses with overdue local taxes
- Businesses that have received or are receiving specified Ulsan management-environment support since 2024
- Businesses that have received or are receiving specified restaurant sanitation support since 2025
- Businesses with no recent sales filing or reported sales of zero
- Home-based, vehicle-based, or other businesses without an eligible fixed commercial location
- Applicants requesting items directly related to goods they themselves sell or manufacture
- Businesses unable to pay through an account or credit card in the owner’s name
- Businesses planning to change their industry, representative, or move outside Ulju County
- Applicants using false or fraudulent information
Important Restrictions
Do not begin construction or purchase digital equipment before receiving the official selection notice. Easily movable appliances, furniture, fixtures, used goods, and rental fees are not covered. Examples of excluded items include computers, televisions, refrigerators, air conditioners, washing machines, air purifiers, sofas, and digital signage. Unauthorized inflatable or portable signs are also excluded.
Each owner may apply for only one business location, even if they operate several businesses. Duplicate online and offline applications are prohibited. After selection, payments must be made by bank transfer or credit or debit card in the representative’s name. Cash payments and peer-to-peer transfers such as KakaoPay remittances are not accepted.
Practical Application Tips
Application traffic may be heavy near the deadline. Prepare the business registration certificate, local tax payment certificate, sales records, and clear photographs early. Keep detailed “before” photographs of the storefront, sign, and interior because they may also be required during reimbursement. Ask vendors to separate the supply price from VAT on quotations, and confirm item eligibility with the Happiness Dream Center before making commitments.
Official Sources and Verification Date
- Bizinfo: 2026 Ulju County Small Business Environment Improvement and Digital Equipment Support Program, Second Round
- Ulsan Small Business Happiness Dream Center
- Announcement date: July 20, 2026
- Information verified: July 28, 2026
This English-language guide summarizes the official second-round announcement. Eligibility and reimbursable amounts remain subject to review and final settlement. Applicants should verify the official notice and application page before submitting documents or making purchases.