Authorities in the South Korean city of Suwon, the capital of Gyeonggi Province south of Seoul, have launched an initiative to give the city a more «Korean» look by announcing a subsidy program to encourage small business owners to prioritize signboards in the Korean alphabet Hangul, rather than in foreign languages, The Korea Times reported.
Authorities plan to allocate up to $1,450 per shop to cover expenses for redesign and installation, with approximately 18 businesses to be chosen in the first round. Applications are open until Oct. 10. The initiative also allows shops to keep foreign words if Hangul is added alongside.
City officials explained that the program aims not only at regulating signboards but also at promoting proper advertising practices and highlighting the beauty of Hangul, with smaller mom-and-pop stores receiving priority.
