The government approved a 2027 budget proposal of KRW 820.9 trillion in total spending (up 12.8%), concentrating funds on youth, growth engines, regions and education/talent. The SME ministry's proposal is a record KRW 18.07 trillion, with sharp increases for export support and manufacturing AI transition.
What a Korean company can do now
- Korean support you can useExport Voucher Program · Ministry of SMEs and Startups / Ministry of Trade (Export Voucher)
- Promising business opportunityRegister as an export voucher provider: overseas strategy, market research and buyer sourcing package
- Where the government is spending2027 government budget proposal · KRW 820.9 trillion
Government · leader
President Lee Jae-myung / Prime Minister Han Seong-sook (appointed July 2026)
Key national agenda
- Invest semiconductor tax windfall in future growth engines (new Future Response Fund)
- Allocate spending to youth, regions and education/talent (KRW 45.4 trillion for four areas)
- Expand SME exports and respond to tariff and trade risks
- AI transition for manufacturing and SMEs (physical AI, smart factories)
- Expand the startup ecosystem ('Startups for Everyone', KRW 1.3 trillion fund of funds)
Government programmes
2027 government budget proposalKRW 820.9 trillion
Total spending KRW 820.9 trillion, total revenue KRW 880.8 trillion, new special account for semiconductor competitiveness
SME ministry 2027 budget proposalKRW 18.07 trillion
Up 9.4% year on year, submitted to the National Assembly (2026-09-03)
Expanded export support (export voucher overhaul)KRW 313.7 billion
Export voucher split into a foundation voucher and a growth package; KRW 23.8 billion for large-SME joint overseas entry and KRW 27.9 billion for overseas regulation response
SME physical AI demonstration and smart factoriesabout KRW 669.4 billion
New physical AI demonstration KRW 172.8 billion, smart factories incl. manufacturing AI KRW 468.2 billion, manufacturing AI workforce KRW 28.4 billion
Startups for Everyone and regional startup packageKRW 611.1 billion
Startups for Everyone KRW 441.1 billion (20,000 participants); new regional startup package KRW 170 billion
SME supplementary budget for the Middle East warabout KRW 1.9 trillion
Extra KRW 100 billion for export vouchers (7,000 to 14,000), KRW 100 billion more for new-market funds, KRW 75 billion for manufacturing AI
Business opportunities
Register as an export voucher provider: overseas strategy, market research and buyer sourcing package
🔒 Why-now and buyers — analysis member ₩19,800/mo
AI transition diagnosis and implementation consulting for SME manufacturers (incl. process automation)
🔒 Why-now and buyers — analysis member ₩19,800/mo
Open this week
Advisory on overseas export regulations and certification
KRW 27.9 billion is set for overseas export-regulation response.
Exporting SMEs, KOSME and KOTRA
Bidding for public-sector AI transformation (AX) consulting contracts
🔒 Why-now and buyers — analysis member ₩19,800/mo
Free members get a human-reviewed summary by email for up to 3 countries a month (sent within 24h). BUILD members get them all.
Korean support schemes
- Export Voucher Program · Ministry of SMEs and Startups / Ministry of Trade (Export Voucher) — SMEs and mid-sized firms buy overseas marketing and consulting services with vouchers; in 2027 it splits into a foundation voucher and a growth package.
- KOTRA overseas market entry support · KOTRA — Provides market research, buyer matching and trade show support through overseas trade offices.
- KOSME export and overseas expansion policy loans · Korea SMEs and Startups Agency (KOSME) — Runs policy funds for exporting SMEs' new-market entry and stability, increased by the 2026 supplementary budget.
Official notices
Korea Policy Briefing (korea.kr) — speeches by the President and Prime Minister
- 2026-10-28 Prime Minister's opening remarks at the Global Cooperation Conference on Climate Crisis Response
- 2026-10-24 Prime Minister's memorial address at the 4th anniversary citizens' memorial for the Itaewon tragedy
- 2026-10-13 President's remarks welcoming the Arctic Route trial voyage
- 2026-10-08 Korea-Egypt summit joint press statement
Disaster · conflict · epidemic
Stable 2026-11-07
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Military on alert after DPRK fired multiple missiles (4 Nov)
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