INCHEON — A direct-sales event has been held to help social economy enterprises in Incheon boost revenue and break into the public procurement market.
Four public agencies based in Incheon — Incheon Port Authority, Sudokwon Landfill Site Management Corp., Incheon International Airport Corp. and Korea Environment Corp. — hosted the Incheon Social Solidarity Economy Festival on the 20th at the Dream Park wildflower garden in Geomdan District.
The event focused on broadening the foundation for self-reliance among small social enterprises by pairing direct sales to festival visitors with links to public agency supply contracts. Eleven village enterprises and cooperatives in Incheon, selected through an open call in advance, ran booths from the 16th to the 20th, drawing a strong response from visitors with local specialty goods including red ginseng, sesame oil, local produce and handicrafts.
On the final day, a public purchasing consultation session took place with procurement staff from the four agencies attending in person. Complex bidding procedures, long cited as a barrier to entry at public agencies, and the task of identifying tailored demand were addressed through one-on-one matching on site, helping participants secure actual contracts and expand sales channels.
Incheon Port Authority and the other host agencies said they will continue to manage public purchasing records and expand linked sales channels rather than leaving the support as a one-off measure.
"Securing a sustainable market is essential if local social enterprises are to become self-sufficient," said Kim Kwang, vice president of Incheon Port Authority. "We will work with related agencies to continue linking them to public procurement and supporting their sales channels."