BUSAN — South Korea's largest gathering of small business owners opens at BEXCO in Busan, aimed at strengthening their social and economic standing while promoting dialogue and solidarity.
The Busan Metropolitan Government said the 2026 Korea Small Business Owners Expo will run for two days from Oct. 23 at BEXCO Exhibition Center 2, co-hosted with the Ministry of SMEs and Startups. The event, jointly organized by the Small Enterprise and Market Service and the Korea Federation of Micro Enterprise, is expected to draw about 3,000 small business owners and residents from across the country.
The opening ceremony, held under the theme "A Greater Korea, Built by Small Business Owners," takes place at 2 p.m. on Oct. 23 on the main stage of BEXCO Exhibition Center 2, with about 1,000 attendees including officials from the Ministry of SMEs and Startups and the Busan city government.
The expo goes beyond a conventional trade show, focusing on giving small business owners practical opportunities to open new sales channels and boost revenue. A product sales exhibition featuring 153 standout companies from across the country will showcase a range of lineups, including century-old small businesses, local companies, regional specialty goods, young entrepreneurs, and products from research and development programs for everyday innovation.
Notably, 37 companies from the Busan area will take part to promote their brands and technology nationwide. Fifteen of them will operate a separate "Busan Special Pavilion," where they plan to market and sell foods, crafts, specialty coffee and beauty products reflecting local character.
A variety of hands-on programs will also let residents experience the skills and expertise of small business owners firsthand. Seven industry associations will run drone displays and demonstrations, personal color analysis, dog toy making, cake and cookie baking, cooking demonstrations and tastings by master chefs, and flower arranging and terrarium workshops.
Side events to build business capabilities round out the program. A Busan forum on small business livelihoods and innovation, labor and legal training sessions, and commemorative seminars will offer practical management information. On the second day, a "Small Business Live Commerce Day" will provide hands-on support for entering online markets and expanding sales channels.
"I hope this expo will spread the word about the quality and competitiveness of small business owners' products and lead to real revenue growth and new opportunities," Mayor Jeon Jae-soo said. "The city will continue to expand effective support that these owners can feel on the ground, so they can run their businesses on a stable footing and grow."