Hyundai Department Store Group Partners with Ministry of Agriculture to Foster Rural Startups
'Rural Startup Leap Plus' Networking Day Held
Practical Mentoring Provided for 15 Outstanding Startup Companies
Jang Hojin, President of Hyundai GF Holdings: "A Model Case of Public-Private Collaboration for Mutual Growth"
Hyundai Department Store Group is partnering with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs to foster promising startup companies in rural areas.
On August 6, Hyundai GF Holdings, the holding company of Hyundai Department Store Group, announced that it had held the 'Rural Startup Leap Plus' Networking Day, an event hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
The Networking Day was held at the Cheongpyeong Campus of Hyundai Department Store Group’s Talent Development Center in Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi Province, with attendees including Jang Hojin, President of Hyundai GF Holdings; Song Milyeong, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs; Jo Myunghwan, President of World Vision; and representatives from 15 outstanding startup companies.
'Rural Startup Leap Plus' is a newly launched growth support program in 2026 that was established to address the reality that promising rural startups often possess excellent ideas and products yet face challenges in securing specialized nurturing and sales channels. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs identifies rural startups with high growth potential, while Hyundai Department Store Group and World Vision leverage their respective expertise to support nurturing, distribution, and market development. This collaboration serves as a public-private partnership model. Back in April, the Ministry selected 15 outstanding startup companies through the Rural Startup Competition.
At the Networking Day, there are presentations of exemplary startup cases, as well as presentations from each participating organization—Hyundai Department Store Group, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and World Vision—about their business execution strategies and operational plans. An exhibition booth has also been set up to showcase the key products and business items of the outstanding startups. Following the Networking Day, a two-day, one-night workshop will be held, where a group of mentors, consisting of employees from Hyundai Department Store, Hyundai Home Shopping, and Hyundai Green Food, will provide mentoring to the startups. The mentors will share practical know-how in product planning (MD), marketing, hygiene, and quality control, with the goal of strengthening product competitiveness and supporting the establishment of business strategies.
Hyundai Department Store Group plans to help startups validate their marketability through actual sales and raise brand awareness by providing access to the group's online and offline distribution channels, supporting pop-up store operations, and helping them enter online malls.
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Jang Hojin, President of Hyundai GF Holdings, stated, "We will provide customized support for the growth of rural startup companies, leveraging the experience and capabilities that Hyundai Department Store Group has built up as a comprehensive lifestyle and culture enterprise," adding, "I hope this initiative will serve as a leading example of public-private collaboration that spreads the value of mutual growth."
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