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7-6 · Social economy & employment certifications

Village Enterprise Designation Application

Village enterprises are designated by the Minister of the Interior and Safety under Article 11 of the Act on the Promotion of and Support for Village Enterprises, which took effect on August 15, 2026. The application is received by the local si/gun/gu office, which reviews the requirements and checks the site, and designation follows a review by the province or metropolitan city and deliberation by the Central Committee. The representative must be a village resident, at least 5 village residents must hold equity, residents must make up at least 70% of investors, no single investor may hold more than 30%, and an investor together with related persons may not exceed 50% of total capital. Because the applicant must be a legal entity such as a nonprofit corporation under the Civil Act or a company under the Commercial Act, a sole proprietorship cannot apply. Applications follow the period and attachments set in the annual notice of the Ministry, so missing the notice period means waiting for the next notice.

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#Village Enterprise Designation Application#Official check#7-6
🌐 Village Enterprise Designation Requirements and Procedure
01

Procedure

Procedure

  1. 01

    Confirm the village resident standard: A village resident is a person registered as a resident of the eup/myeon/dong where the enterprise is located and active, or a person who works at or runs a business in that eup/myeon/dong. If residents are recognized at the si/gun/gu level, the resident ratio among investors rises to 80% (except in depopulation areas), and for village enterprises meeting the youth composition standard the ratio is 50%.

  2. 02

    Arrange the equity structure and legal form: Adjust the investor register so that at least 5 village residents invest, no investor exceeds 30%, and an investor together with spouse, lineal relatives and siblings does not exceed 50% of total capital. If there is no legal entity yet, establish one under these standards first and appoint a village resident as representative.

  3. 03

    Check the annual notice: Review the designation criteria, application period, required attachments and evaluation items in the annual notice of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. If the notice requires prior training or a self-funding share, schedule the training and funding before the application period.

  4. 04

    Prepare the business plan: Using the notice form, describe the four requirements together with a sales plan: community (residents decide directly and share profits), public benefit (contribution to the local community), locality (use of local resources), and business viability (actual operations and revenue).

  5. 05

    Submit to the si/gun/gu and respond to the site check: After the application and related documents are filed with the local si/gun/gu, the office reviews the representative, equity, legal form and local activity requirements and checks the site. The province reviews community and other requirements, the Central Committee deliberates, and the si/gun/gu notifies the result.

  6. 06

    Maintain requirements after designation: If changes in investors break the resident ratio or equity caps, designation may be revoked after a hearing. A village enterprise notified of revocation must submit a performance report within 14 days of notice and is subject to measures such as subsidy repayment.

02

Filing route

Filing route

The si/gun/gu office where the village enterprise is located (applications accepted according to the Ministry's designation notice)

Confirm the current filing office, jurisdiction, and online availability on the official website.

Official check
Actual processing agencyCompetent city, county, or district office · Competent Korean authority or official service
Statutory and policy authorityMinistry of the Interior and Safety
Online routeOfficial check
03

Deadlines & processing notes

Deadlines & processing notes

Check deadlines and next steps against the notice, filing date, and any request for additional documents.Official check
04

Basic documents

Basic documents

Basic documents0 / 8

If equity is transferred after designation and the resident ratio or the 30% cap per investor is broken, this can lead to revocation and subsidy repayment, so recalculate the requirements before any transfer.

Scope of services

Scope of services

Hwang Yunsang Administrative Agent Office prepares and translates documents for administrative agencies, submits them on your behalf, and guides you through permit, application, and notification procedures. Services that require the principal’s personal appearance, principal’s application, or electronic signature may be limited in delegation.