Incheon to Provide Interest Subsidies for SMEs Hit by Prolonged Middle East Crisis

Incheon Metropolitan City will provide 200 billion won in interest subsidy support to local small and medium-sized enterprises facing financial difficulties due to the prolonged crisis in the Middle East. Under the program, the city will cover part of the interest on bank loans, offering subsidies ranging from 0.5 to 2 percentage points. Applications will be accepted starting May 19 and will remain open until the funds are exhausted. Businesses can apply online through the city’s BizOK small business support platform.

Incheon Launches Integrated Employment Platform

The City of Incheon has launched a new online platform that brings together job postings, employment support programs, and vocational training information in one place. The city said the Incheon Job Platform, enabling citizens and businesses to use job information more easily and conveniently, officially begins service on May 14. The platform replaces the Incheon Job Portal, first launched in 2019, and offers expanded services tailored to users’ needs. One of its key features is customized information organized by different stages of life and career.

Incheon Grand Park to Host Traditional Rice Planting Event

Incheon Grand Park will host a traditional rice planting event for the public on May 17 at its rice paddy wetland area. The program is designed to give participants a hands-on opportunity to experience traditional farming methods and learn about the importance of agriculture and the natural environment. About 200 citizens, including teenagers, are expected to take part in rice planting across five paddies covering a total of 2,600 square meters. Participants will use the traditional method of planting seedlings in straight rows with the aid of guide ropes.

Tri-Bowl to Stage Family Pansori Musical ‘Hide-and-Seek in Wonderland’

Art Space Tribowl, operated by the Incheon Foundation for Arts and Culture, will present the pansori musical “Hide-and-Seek in Wonderland” on June 13 at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. The production is the latest created by the team behind the audience award-winning children’s musical, “Samyangdonghwa.” It was selected for the 2026 Regional Distribution Support Project for Performing Arts and 2026 Arts Support Program for Children and Youth. The musical presents a stage that both children and family audiences can enjoy, blending the vibrant storytelling style of Pansori with modern musical numbers.

Incheon TP Seeks Participants for SME Product Usability Analysis Program

Incheon Technopark is accepting applications through May 29 for its 2026 Product Usability Analysis Support Program for small and medium-sized businesses. The initiative targets companies that produce home care and healthcare products and uses consumer-participation testing to assess market suitability and user acceptance.  Selected companies will receive access to advanced testing equipment and professional analysis reports for a modest co-payment of up to 220,000 won. The program is intended to help businesses identify product weaknesses and improve competitiveness based on objective data.

Incheon SMEs Named to Global Hidden Champions Project

The Incheon Regional Office of SMEs and Startups has designated 37 local companies under the 2026 Global Hidden Champions 1,000+ Project. The selected firms include 14 Promising, 12 Growth-Stage, six Global Small Giant, and five Global Small Giant+ companies. The project selects SMEs with high growth potential, classifying them into four categories: Promising, Growth-Stage, Global Small Giant, and Global Small Giant+, based on their export volume in the previous year. It provides selected companies with preferential access to export-related support such as overseas marketing and policy financing through the end of 2027. Companies selected for the program are also automatically eligible for export vouchers in their first year. In particular, designated companies with export sales of $5 million or $10 million in the previous year are provided with additional support, such as preferential treatment regarding policy fund limits, bonus points for technology innovation development projects, and regional autonomous programs.

Sources: https://news.ifm.kr