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Openknowl Reselected as Operator of 'Sodam Square Dangsan' for Five More Years in ₩4 Billion Project

PolicyNovember 3, 20261 min read

OpenNol, an AI-based career and hiring platform, was picked again to run the 'Sodam Square Dangsan' digital commerce center for five more years (2027 to 2031). The project is worth about 4 billion won.

OpenNol keeps running the center

OpenNol was chosen again to run Sodam Square Dangsan, a digital commerce center run by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups and the Korea SMEs and Startups Distribution Agency. The next term runs from 2027 to 2031. The company says it will use the center to help small shop owners go digital.

Key facts

Next term: 5 years (2027 to 2031)
Small businesses helped in the last 5 years: 5,843
Past yearly reviews: rated 'excellent'
Content creation time cut from 10 to 15 days down to 1 day
Building: 8 floors, about 181 pyeong (about 600 square meters)

Why the government is changing its approach

The government now wants to do more than protect small shop owners who just make a living. It wants to help them grow into innovative businesses. For this reason, it is putting more money into these programs.

Why it matters

The new plan focuses on practical tools that small businesses can use right away, such as sales and online selling. It aims to close the digital gap between small shops and big companies. OpenNol also plans to link small businesses with young workers, which could help with both hiring and jobs.

What to watch

Whether the 1-day AI content system works in practice
How the Dangsan building's studios and classes are used
Follow-up funding and policy money for small businesses
Whether Mini Intern placements lead to real hires

Glossary

OpenNol: An AI-based company that runs career and hiring platforms and now also supports small businesses.
Sodam Square: A government-backed hub that helps small shop owners go digital, with studios, editing rooms, and classrooms in 11 places nationwide.
Mini Intern: OpenNol's platform that matches young workers skilled in AI tools with small businesses that need staff.

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