The Ministry of SMEs and Startups said it will begin accepting applications from small and midsize corporations on the 29th to join the "K-export strategic items development program."
The K-export strategic items development program supports discovering innovative K-brand products in materials fields such as beauty—where demand is growing worldwide on the back of the spread of K-culture—and helping them grow into world-class products. In 2024, for the first time, it designated export-promising products from 30 corporations in the beauty and food fields, and last year it expanded the scope to fashion and lifestyle and additionally selected products from a total of 80 corporations.
This year's recruitment target, as last year, is export items in the four major consumer goods fields of beauty, fashion, lifestyle, and food. The Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) will conduct a document review focused on innovativeness and potential for global expansion, and after an evaluation of competitiveness among foreign consumers and product review sessions with global distribution corporations and experts, it plans to designate around 200 products as K-export strategic items.
For selected corporations, customized overseas expansion programs linked with major domestic distribution corporations such as Olive Young, Shinsegae Department Store, and Musinsa will be provided. Preferential benefits will also be offered when selected for government export support programs, including export vouchers, overseas certification acquisition, and participation in overseas exhibitions and consultation events. Priority participation opportunities in K-brand global expansion projects and more will be supported for up to three years.
Sim Jae-yun, director-general for global growth policy at the Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS), said, "The trend of small and midsize K-consumer goods, which spread around beauty, has now gone beyond a temporary fad to take root in people's daily lives around the world," and added, "We will further strengthen policy support so that our small and midsize corporations' K-consumer goods can grow into national flagship products that drive small and midsize corporations' exports in the global market."