The 150-Day Window: How Trump’s Section 122 Tariff Shift Resets Strategic Planning for Korean SMEs
For Korean exporters, the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling against IEEPA-based reciprocal tariffs did not bring clarity. It replaced one legal…
Korea Bets ₩87B on Field-Ready AI: What Manufacturing Startups and Global Investors Should Watch
Manufacturing AI is no longer a future narrative in Korea. It is becoming a funding structure. With KRW 87 billion committed to deploy AI that works directly on production lines, the question is no longer whether small manufacturers should adopt AI. It is whether they can absorb it fast enough…
by
Dae-jung Park . 24 Feb 2026
Latest Article
Korea’s AI Goes Global Under a New Rulebook: 5 Verified Companies Already Scaling Overseas
Seoul now ranks as the world’s second most powerful AI city, according to Counterpoint Research’s 2025 AI Cities Index, just…
by Zee Cindy . 23 Feb 2026
MRO and AI Safety: What the Netform R&D Pre-IPO Push Reveals About Korea’s Industrial Tech Shift
Korea’s startup spotlight often gravitates toward AI software and consumer platforms. Yet a quieter transformation is unfolding inside the country’s…
by Chloe kim . 23 Feb 2026
Stable Factory Jobs Shrinking, Wage Gaps Widen: Startups May Feel the Pressure Next
Korea’s manufacturing sector remains a backbone of its SME-driven economy. Yet new employment data signals structural strain. Stable factory jobs…
by Daehyun Song . 23 Feb 2026
Korea Moves to Shield 6,000 Exporters After U.S. Supreme Court Tariff Ruling
The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to invalidate tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act did more than settle…
by Dae-jung Park . 22 Feb 2026
From IEEPA to Section 122: How America’s Tariff Shift Reshapes Risk for Korean Export-Driven Startups
The U.S. Supreme Court has struck down one of President Donald Trump’s most aggressive trade tools. Yet within hours, a…
by Richard Park . 21 Feb 2026
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MOST READ ARTICLE OF THE WEEK
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Korea’s AI Goes Global Under a New Rulebook: 5 Verified Companies Already Scaling Overseas
Seoul now ranks as the world’s second most powerful AI city, according to Counterpoint Research’s 2025 AI Cities Index, just…
by Zee Cindy . 23 Feb 2026
MRO and AI Safety: What the Netform R&D Pre-IPO Push Reveals About Korea’s Industrial Tech Shift
Korea’s startup spotlight often gravitates toward AI software and consumer platforms. Yet a quieter transformation is unfolding inside the country’s…
by Chloe kim . 23 Feb 2026
Dnotitia Readies IPO After Turning AI Memory Bottlenecks into a New Semiconductor Category
Korea’s AI semiconductor race is entering a new phase. Dnotitia, a fast-rising deep-tech startup specializing in AI memory and vector…
by Richard Park . 4 Feb 2026
Rebellions and Wert Intelligence Link AI Chips to LegalTech, Becoming Korea’s Pioneers in Patent AI Infrastructure
South Korea’s deep-tech ecosystem is entering a new vertical. AI chipmaker Rebellions and LegalTech startup Wert Intelligence have joined forces…
by Chloe kim . 4 Feb 2026
Korea Bets ₩87B on Field-Ready AI: What Manufacturing Startups and Global Investors Should Watch
Manufacturing AI is no longer a future narrative in Korea. It is becoming a funding structure. With KRW 87 billion committed to deploy AI that works directly on production lines, the question is no longer whether small manufacturers should adopt AI. It is whether they can absorb it fast enough — and whether the startups building those systems are ready for industrial reality. Korea Smart Manufacturing Innovation 3.0: ₩87B AI Commercialization Program The Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS), the Smart Manufacturing Innovation Promotion Team, and the Korea Federation of SMEs (KBIZ) have jointly launched the AI Application Product Rapid Commercialization Support Program, committing a total of KRW 87 billion over two years to support 36 projects. The initiative is a core execution measure under the government’s AI-based Smart Manufacturing Innovation 3.0 strategy. According to official announcements, KRW 64.5 billion will be deployed in 2026 and KRW 22.5 billion in 2027. The government will fund up to 70 percent of each project, with 30 percent matched by private participants. Eligible applicants must form consortia centered on small and mid-sized manufacturing…
24 Feb 2026
Korea Moves to Shield 6,000 Exporters After U.S. Supreme Court Tariff Ruling
The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to invalidate tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act did more than settle…
22 Feb 2026
From IEEPA to Section 122: How America’s Tariff Shift Reshapes Risk for Korean Export-Driven Startups
The U.S. Supreme Court has struck down one of President Donald Trump’s most aggressive trade tools. Yet within hours, a…
21 Feb 2026
Why Korea’s Open Innovation Demand Just Spiked: Startups Move Closer to Core R&D
Corporate R&D rarely announces when it is losing confidence in itself. It simply starts looking outward. In Korea, that shift…
21 Feb 2026
At Startup Investor Summit 2026, Korea’s Startup Ecosystem Charts Its Post-Policy Future
Korea’s startup ecosystem is redefining what capital means. At the 2026 Startup Investor Summit in Busan, industry leaders, investors, and policymakers gathered to discuss how early-stage investment can mature beyond financial dependency — into a trust-based, private-led ecosystem where experience, collaboration, and innovation drive long-term sustainability. Startup Investor Summit 2026 Brings Together Korea’s Public and Private Leaders The Korea Association of Initial Investment Accelerators (KAIA) will be hosting the 2026 Startup Investor Summit in Busan from January 29 to 30, under the theme “Beyond Capital, Shaking Paradigms.” The event will be jointly organized with Busan Metropolitan City and the Busan Technopark Investment Institute. Participants include accelerators, venture capital firms (VCs), limited partners (LPs), and regional innovation organizations. Together, they will explore the evolution of Korea’s early-stage investment landscape — from government-supported capital to a mature, private-driven venture ecosystem. Keynote and Main Sessions: Redefining Early-Stage Investment In the keynote session, Jiwoong Park, CEO of Fast Track Asia, is offering a panoramic view of the changing global and domestic startup investment environment, emphasizing the strategic role of early investors in shaping ecosystem…
25 Jan 2026
Korea’s Startup Investors Gather at Startup Investor Summit 2026 in Busan to Redefine Capital Beyond Money
Korea’s startup ecosystem is entering a new chapter where capital is no longer defined by money alone. As investment patterns…
14 Jan 2026
CES 2026: Korea’s Innovation Stage Is Global, Its Homework Still Local
For years, Korea’s startups have arrived at CES 2026 to prove they belong on the global stage. This year, they…
14 Jan 2026
Korea’s Deep-Tech Shift Is Further Unfolding — And CES 2026 Was the Proof
Las Vegas was noisy, as CES always is. But what stood out in the K-Startup Pavilion this year wasn’t the…
10 Jan 2026
[Exclusive Interview] ArbaLabs Founder Ashley Reeves on Korea’s Deep Tech, Trust, & Real-World AI
In an era when “AI innovation” is often reduced to marketing noise, Estonia-based ArbaLabs stands out for what it refuses…
by Zee Cindy . 9 Jan 2026
IDOLL Robotics: Korea’s Emotional AI Frontier & the Rise of the “Forever Companion” at K-Startup Grand Challenge 2025
In a country leading the world in robotics and AI adoption, IDOLL Robotics stands at the edge of a new…
by Zee Cindy . 4 Jan 2026
Vyuhaa Med Data at K-Startup Grand Challenge 2025: Redefining Diagnostic Equity through AI-Driven Microscopy
The promise of AI in healthcare often feels distant—powerful in theory, but uneven in reach. Vyuhaa Med Data, an India-based…
by Zee Cindy . 4 Jan 2026
KIBO’s Venture Camp Evolves into a National Accelerator Platform — Adding ESG and Global Growth Tracks
Korea Technology Finance Corporation (KIBO) is transforming its flagship Venture Camp into a national-scale accelerator initiative that blends public policy,…
by Richard Park . 19 Jan 2026
Korea Development Bank Launches ₩7.5 Trillion “National Growth Fund” to Back Deep Tech and AI Ventures
Korea’s policy finance system is entering a new phase of scale and precision. The Korea Development Bank (KDB) has launched…
by Richard Park . 18 Jan 2026
FuturePlay Secures ‘TIPS Operator of the Year’ as Korea Tightens Links Between Investment, R&D, and Global Scale-Up
As Korea recalibrates its startup policy toward deeper integration between capital, technology development, and overseas expansion, the role of intermediary…
by Zee Cindy . 22 Dec 2025
Korea’s D.CAMP Partners with Stanford to Build a Launchpad for Global Consumer Innovation
In the global startup landscape, the next frontier of competition lies not only in technology but in understanding consumers across…
by Richard Park . 21 Dec 2025
Unlocking Innovation: How Startups Can Leverage IMDA’s Open Innovation Platform
In today’s fast-evolving digital landscape, innovation is key to staying ahead. Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) has taken a…
4 Apr 2025
Factagora Launches South Korea’s First Cloud-Based AI Legal Service at Law Firm Shin & Kim
In a first of its kind instance in South Korea’s legal industry, prominent law firm Shin & Kim has implemented…
25 Dec 2024
Top Co-working Spaces for Startups & Companies to Explore in South Korea
For startups, the beginning years are the most crucial ones, when the pitches to VCs are to be made, teams…
3 Apr 2024