The Ministry of SMEs and Startups said on Oct. 8 that it selected 188 corporations as recipients of support for the 2026 K-export strategy items cultivation program.
The K-export strategy items cultivation program supports discovering innovative products in the K-consumer goods sector, where overseas demand is growing with the spread of K-culture, so they can grow into world-class products.
The Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) began by selecting 30 corporations in the beauty and food sectors in 2024, and last year expanded support targets to the fashion and lifestyle sectors, additionally selecting 80 corporations.
This year, recruitment targeting the four major consumer goods sectors drew applications from a total of 983 corporations, showing strong interest. The Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) conducted a comprehensive evaluation by foreign consumers and global distribution experts of innovation, potential for global expansion, and local competitiveness among the applicant corporations, and finally selected 188 corporations.
Notably in the beauty sector, "Paket," which is growing in the clean beauty market with its "soy essence" whose main ingredient is fermented soybean extract, was selected. Based on export experience to the United States, Japan, and Southeast Asia, it plans to expand export markets to Europe and Central and South America.
In the lifestyle sector, "Cocod'or," which maintains the No. 1 market share in the domestic diffuser market, made the list. Cocod'or currently exports home fragrance products to more than 60 countries based on its proprietary fragrance blending technology and smart factory manufacturing infrastructure, and plans to strengthen its push into the global home fragrance market.
For the corporations selected this time, sector-specific customized programs will be supported by leveraging the infrastructure and networks held by partner institutions, including domestic global distribution corporations. In addition, benefits such as priority participation in the K-brand global expansion project, export vouchers, overseas certification acquisition, and preferential treatment in government export support programs such as participation in overseas exhibitions and consultations will be provided.
Sim Jae-yun, director-general for global growth policy at the Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS), said, "K-consumer goods centered on K-beauty are establishing themselves as a new export growth engine," and added, "We will further strengthen policy support so that the products of the corporations selected this time can grow into popular products representing Korea in every corner of the globe."