With the continued high exchange rates, the government will provide up to 1.5 trillion won in policy funds if import and export corporations suffer losses. Support for the 'Small Business Financial Three-Pack' will also be strengthened, including the provision of conversion guarantees, easing of repayment extension recognition requirements, and granting grace periods for refinancing loans.
At the same time, the government plans to issue the largest-ever Onnuri gift certificates, amounting to 5.5 trillion won, and provide a 15% special discount on digital Onnuri gift certificates before and after the Lunar New Year to stimulate consumption. A comprehensive investigation will be conducted on delivery platforms to ensure that there are no unilaterally disadvantageous terms for small businesses.
On the 8th, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups noted this during the '2025 Ministry of SMEs and Startups Key Issues Resolution Meeting.'
The Ministry will first enhance support for the small business financial three-pack, amounting to 3.2 trillion won, and implement the 'Hope Recharge Project' for faithful repayers of the three-pack, providing them with additional loans.
Additionally, 30 'Small Business Debt Adjustment Centers' will be established nationwide, and cooperation with rehabilitation courts will facilitate rapid support for the debt adjustment processes of small businesses. To significantly shorten the current bankruptcy and rehabilitation process, which takes about 12 months, a dedicated fast track for small businesses will be created to assist their recovery.
If damages occur due to the continuing rise in exchange rates, up to 1.5 trillion won in policy funds will be provided to the affected corporations to support stable management. Export vouchers will also be used to help cover trade insurance and guarantee subscription costs up to a maximum limit of 10 million won.
The government will present criteria for contracts that reflect exchange rate fluctuations in delivery payment and provide consulting services to encourage mutual sharing of foreign exchange risks between consignors and consignees.
To promote recovery in the venture investment market, which is currently in a harsh period, a 1 trillion won investment project from the Ministry's fund will be implemented swiftly in the first quarter. A new venture fund will be established with a scale of 1.9 trillion won.
The investment obligation, currently limited to startups and venture businesses, will be expanded from startups and venture businesses to all small and medium enterprises to encourage private capital inflows.
The Ministry plans to supply a front-loading fund to boost domestic demand.
The large-scale consumption festival, called the Donghaeng Festival, will be held twice in the first half of the year, totaling four times annually, with a special discount and cashback event of 15% on digital Onnuri gift certificates before and after the Lunar New Year. The Onnuri gift certificates will be issued in a record scale of 5.5 trillion won, expanding the available uses to enhance convenience.
To increase the sales-driving effect, the number of duty-free shops for small enterprises at airports will be expanded from three to six, and the number of participating corporations will increase from 900 to 1,800. The commission rate for dedicated duty-free shops for small businesses and early-stage startups, currently at 23%, will be reduced to the 10% level. At the same time, small business products will account for more than 30% of the programming on public home shopping channels.
A new 'Small Business Restart Hope Project' will provide integrated support from business closure to employment and re-establishment. The removal assistance amount for store demolitions will be increased from the current 2.5 million won to 4 million won, and a low-interest, long-term partitioning repayment program will be introduced to ease the burden of business closures on small firms.
Linking specialized employment programs for small businesses, such as the Hope Return Package (Ministry of SMEs and Startups) and the National Employment Support System (Ministry of Employment), up to 9.45 million won in employment support funds will be provided. Furthermore, if a small business that has closed wishes to reestablish itself, dedicated project managers will assist in changing industries and commercializing the new business.
In collaboration with the Fair Trade Commission, a comprehensive investigation will be conducted to determine if there are any unilaterally disadvantageous terms for small businesses focused on dominant delivery platforms. In addition, a survey on the commission structures and unfair practices of online platform users will be conducted to announce the overall use of platforms. Furthermore, the joint growth pilot evaluation will be expanded to delivery platforms, and the inclusion of growth indices will be considered in the mid to long term.
To alleviate the fixed cost burden on small businesses, support of up to 300,000 won will be provided to approximately 680,000 small enterprises using delivery and parcel services, and there will also be efforts to reduce credit card commission rates based on the size of small business revenues (in collaboration with the Financial Services Commission).
Vice Minister Kim Seong-seob noted, 'Due to the accumulated effects of rising prices and interest rates, the slow recovery of domestic demand is worsening the business conditions for small and medium enterprises and small businesses.' He cited rising costs for energy and labor, along with challenges from high exchange rates and labor shortages due to entry into a super-aged society, which are exacerbating the management difficulties faced by these businesses, indicating that measures are included to alleviate this situation.