Expand public procurement of products from local businesses... Governor Wi Seong-gon calls on province and two administrative cities to buy local

【Financial News | Jeju—Reporter Jeong Yong-bok】 Jeju Province will use public-sector purchasing to expand market access for startups that create products and services using resources unique to the region. A policy linking startup support with actual sales is being pursued after Jeju Governor Wi Seong-gon called on the provincial government and both administrative cities to actively use products made by local businesses.
According to Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, Governor Wi chaired a weekly policy meeting at Tamna Hall in the provincial government building on the 19th and reviewed the “Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Basic Plan for Fostering and Supporting Local Creators (Draft).” The meeting also reviewed major economic issues, including efforts to stimulate tourism and construction and the second relocation of public institutions.
At the meeting, Governor Wi instructed officials to actively use products made by businesses that create local value and social economy enterprises at various events and in the operations of the province, Jeju City and Seogwipo City. The aim is for the public sector to support local businesses in securing initial sales channels by becoming a buyer of their products.
The basic plan Jeju Province is preparing sets out the vision of “Jeju, a Local Startup City: Creative Industrialization of Unique Resources.” Its key focus is to establish a support system tailored to each stage of growth, enabling early-stage startups to develop into growth-stage companies and eventually into leading businesses that drive local commercial districts.
The support measures include commercialization assistance tailored to each company’s growth stage, links to investment and expanded sales channels. The goal is not merely to help startups commercialize their businesses, but to connect that support to sustained revenue and business expansion.

The policy is also aligned with the central government’s efforts to foster entrepreneurs who create local value. The Ministry of SMEs and Startups has operated a local creator development program since 2020 and this year is pursuing a support strategy linking the growth of promising startups with their expansion into local commercial districts.
Jeju Province also enacted an ordinance to foster and support local creators last November and began commissioned research in February this year to develop a basic plan. The research has now been completed, and the plan is to be finalized after gathering feedback from relevant departments and both administrative cities.
Governor Wi also called for a response to issues affecting the livelihoods of residents. He held a tourism strategy meeting to reassess the direction of tourism policy and directed officials to develop measures to secure demand during the off-season and strengthen cooperation between departments.
Regarding the downturn in the construction and real estate sectors, he instructed officials to review practical ways to advance redevelopment and reconstruction projects and tourism development projects, and to incorporate measures addressing unsold homes into the economic revitalization strategy.
Regarding the second relocation of public institutions to regional areas, he instructed officials to visit in person institutions interested in relocating to Jeju and explain the need to attract them and the support available. He also called for a review of the activities of the institution-attraction teams formed by provincial departments.

Ways to use sports facilities after the 107th National Sports Festival were also discussed. Governor Wi instructed officials to use facilities secured through the National Sports Festival to attract training camps and draw up a plan to develop training camps into a local industry. Establishing a province-level training camp support and operations center was also considered.
He also called for Jeju-specific safety measures to address recent indiscriminate crimes and preparations for the National Assembly’s audit by the Security and Public Administration Committee and the Climate, Energy, Environment and Labor Committee’s on-site visit to Jeju.
Jeju Governor Wi Seong-gon said, “The public sector should support the growth of local businesses and turn it into momentum for the local economy,” adding, “The province and both administrative cities should actively use products from local businesses at various events and in their operations to help them secure sales channels.”


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