Suwon Special City Launches AI-Powered Integrated Guidance Service for Small Merchants—From Support Programs to Market Analysis

Suwon Special City (Mayor Lee Jae-jun) is officially launching a "specialized AI integrated guidance service for small merchants" from October through its small merchants' information homepage 'Suwon Market Hub,' operated by the Suwon Urban Development Foundation's Commercial District Revitalization Center, by introducing an artificial intelligence (AI) search function.

Suwon Market Hub (swsijanghub.kr) is a homepage where small merchants can check support projects, education, counseling, and commercial district information scattered across multiple institutions and channels in one place. Following pilot operation in September, the service will be formally launched from October.

The AI search service allows users to input inquiries in everyday sentences without needing to know complex business names or exact search terms, and it finds related information for them.

Users can search by asking questions such as what support projects their store can receive or what educational programs are available for small merchants.

Key information provided includes ▲small merchant support projects ▲small merchant education ▲counseling information ▲alley-type shopping area designation and support benefits ▲Suwon commercial district overview ▲Suwon commercial district map ▲commercial district analysis data by district and area. It also connects and provides support projects from public institutions such as Small Business 24 and Gyeonggi Portal, as well as small merchant support information from Suwon City and related agencies.

In the Suwon commercial district overview, users can check the number of stores, sales figures, foot traffic, and business opening and closing status. In the Suwon commercial district map, users can view information on traditional markets, alley-type shopping areas, alley commercial districts, and specialized commercial areas.

The service can be used without membership registration or writing separate posts, and operates on an information provision method that does not require personal information input. It is also accessible via smartphone, allowing users to access necessary information anytime and anywhere.

A Suwon City official stated, "There are cases where useful information such as support projects and education programs are not utilized because people don't know where to find them," and added, "Through Suwon Market Hub, we will easily provide scattered information tailored to small merchants' perspectives and support them in quickly finding the information they need."