[Edaily Reporter Kim Hyun-ah] A public-private data collaboration model is being established to precisely analyze changes in local commercial districts by combining foot traffic, sales, and financial data, and to use this information to support small business owners.

#SK Telecom announced on the 17th that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Seoul Credit Guarantee Foundation, KB Kookmin Bank, and KB Kookmin Card to exchange data and conduct joint research aimed at supporting small business owners.

This agreement expands the collaboration that has been ongoing since 2021 between SK Telecom, the Seoul Credit Guarantee Foundation, and KB Kookmin Card, with KB Kookmin Bank joining as a new participant.

The four organizations plan to analyze changes in local commercial districts and funding needs by combining SK Telecom’s foot traffic data, KB Kookmin Card’s merchant sales data, the Seoul Credit Guarantee Foundation’s commercial district revitalization index and store history data, and KB Kookmin Bank’s deposit and loan data.

This collaboration is being promoted as a new public-private data partnership model that integrates policy, finance, and commercial district analysis, as well as a practical example of ESG implementation.

At the signing ceremony, the results of an analysis targeting the Sinchon and Yonsei-ro commercial districts in Seoul were also unveiled. According to the analysis, Sinchon and Yonsei-ro have recently been transforming from a “transit-type commercial district,” where people simply pass through, into a “stay-type commercial district” where people spend more time. In particular, the analysis showed that since the implementation of car-free streets on Sundays, the proportion of nighttime visitors and those staying for extended periods has increased, and the repeat visit rate among local residents has also risen.

Furthermore, a trend was identified where funding demand in these commercial districts tends to peak in September and October, when the Chuseok holiday coincides with the start of the academic year. It is expected that leveraging this insight will allow for more precise planning of the timing for policy funding and guarantee support.

The four organizations plan to collaborate with the Seoul Metropolitan Government and local districts to expand support models tailored to the characteristics of each commercial district. By linking with the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s commercial district analysis service, they intend to provide small business owners with various information—such as visitor age and gender, time-of-day stay patterns, and sales trends by business type—to support them in establishing startup, marketing, and store operation strategies.

Kim Myung-guk, Head of Industrial AI at SK Telecom, stated, “Through data-driven collaboration, we will establish a practical support system that small business owners can truly feel,” adding, “We will go beyond technical support to strengthen our role as a data-driven business partner.”