The government has drafted a supplementary budget of 4 trillion won to stabilize the livelihoods of small business owners and self-employed individuals. An additional 800 billion won will be invested to protect the technology of small and medium-sized enterprises and foster startups, aiming to create an innovative ecosystem and enhance global competitiveness.
The Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises and Startups held the first Small Business Policy Steering Committee for 2025 on the 14th at the CCMM Building in Yeouido, Seoul, discussing support plans for the recovery of small business owners and self-employed individuals, the fourth plan for providing technology protection for small businesses, and the implementation plans for startup support in 2025.
◇Support for the recovery of small business owners and self-employed individuals…supplementary budget of 4 trillion won
First, a total of 4 trillion won is being allocated for the supplementary budget to aid the recovery of small business owners. To reduce the fixed cost burden on small businesses with limited resources, 1.6 trillion won will be provided for 'burden reduction credits,' which can be used for electricity, gas, water bills, and insurance premiums, with a limit of 500,000 won per business.
Additionally, 1.4 trillion won has been allocated for the 'Coexistence Payback' program aimed at promoting consumption. This program will refund a portion of card spending in the form of Onnuri gift certificates, and a 10% refund event for digital Onnuri gift certificates will be conducted from this month for approximately five months.
Financial support for securing operational funds will also be strengthened. Small businesses with mid- to low-credit ratings will be offered purchase-only credit cards with limits of up to 10 million won, and an additional 500 billion won will be allocated for small business policy funds. Furthermore, a new guarantee of 2 trillion won will be provided through regional credit guarantee foundations.
Support for the re-employment of small businesses that have closed down will also be expanded. The 'Hope Return Package' program, which assists with store demolition costs and re-employment and re-start efforts, will see an injection of 50 billion won from the supplementary budget.
Efforts will be made to create a conducive environment for technology development in small businesses by addressing areas without legal protection and enhancing damage relief.
To start with, the legal protection scope will be expanded to include transaction stages such as negotiation and consultation before a transaction, allowing startups to receive legal relief even if they suffer from technology leaks during negotiations with large corporations.
In addition, to ensure rapid damage relief, minor technology infringement cases valued at less than 50 million won will be processed quickly through a direct adjustment procedure, and reported incidents will be immediately transferred to the prosecution and police through a 'Prosecution-Police Fast Track.'
Improvement plans for damage calculations that include expenses invested in technology development so that efforts to develop new technologies are fairly recognized will also be established. The government plans to raise the claim approval rate from the current 17.5% to 30%.
◇Establishing a startup base in Silicon Valley, USA…announcement of startup support plans
Finally, through startup support, deep technology startups will be intensively fostered. The growth of super-gap startups will be supported in stages, and a global startup hub for deep tech will be established. A specialized support system will be set up for key deep tech sectors such as artificial intelligence (AI), biotechnology, and climate tech, along with a super-gap challenge between global corporations and AI startups.
Efforts will be made to accelerate the globalization of the South Korean startup ecosystem. A global integration base for South Korean startups and venture firms will be established in Silicon Valley, USA. Programs for global expansion of South Korean startups and participation in international exhibitions will be expanded in strategic overseas markets such as Dubai, Osaka, and India, and a new global fund is planned to be created with a scale of 1 trillion won within the year.
The 'Deep Tech Value-Up Program' will be launched to promote open innovation between the top deep tech startups and large corporations in South Korea. In addition, to support the growth of local startups, a fund of 200 billion won will be contributed to the 'Local Era Venture Fund,' and various startup programs focusing on local specialization (startup package, super-gap, TIPS) will be newly established, revitalizing the entire South Korean startup ecosystem.