Daejeon City is utilizing 200 million won from the Food Promotion Fund to provide low-interest loans at an annual rate of 1% to alleviate the economic burden on food hygiene businesses. These loans are divided into facility improvement funds and development funds.

This initiative includes facility improvement funds aimed at enhancing food hygiene standards and development funds to support businesses with hygiene grade designations or exemplary operations. Facility improvement funds can be used to upgrade sanitary facilities such as business premises, kitchens, and restrooms for food manufacturing and processing businesses, food service establishments, and health functional food retailers. Development funds are designed to help businesses that demonstrate exemplary hygiene management operate more stably.

The loan limits for facility improvement funds vary by business type. Businesses applying HACCP standards can receive up to 200 million won, food manufacturing and processing businesses up to 100 million won, food hygiene businesses up to 50 million won, and health functional food retailers up to 20 million won.

Additionally, funds for improving signage or restrooms at food hygiene businesses are supported up to a maximum of 10 million won. For development funds, businesses with excellent hygiene ratings and exemplary operations can receive up to 20 million won.

The loan interest rate is 1% per year. For loans under 50 million won, a 2-year grace period is followed by a 3-year equal installment repayment plan. For loans of 50 million won or more, a 3-year grace period is followed by a 5-year equal installment repayment plan. This loan support program will continue until the funds are exhausted.

However, certain businesses are excluded from eligibility. Businesses that have not complied with administrative directives, large-scale businesses with annual sales exceeding 3 billion won, businesses less than one year past an administrative penalty for public morals violations, or those less than three years past a fund recovery action are not eligible for support.

Business owners wishing to apply for a loan should visit a local NH Nonghyup Bank branch to consult on loan eligibility, then prepare required documents such as a loan application and business plan, and submit them to the hygiene department of their district office.

For more details, inquiries can be directed to the hygiene department of the relevant district office or Daejeon City’s Food and Drug Safety Division (☎ 270-4873).

Jeong Tae-young, Director of Daejeon City’s Sports and Health Bureau, stated, “We hope this Food Promotion Fund loan will ease the economic burden on food hygiene businesses struggling with high inflation and interest rates while contributing to improved hygiene standards. We encourage active interest and participation from food hygiene businesses in the city.”

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