Women’s Share in Korea’s Startup Workforce Has Doubled in a Decade: What Changed Inside the Ecosystem?
A decade ago, Korea’s venture ecosystem looked like a familiar story: male founders, male-heavy teams, and a pipeline built around…
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 new tariff path emerged. For Korean startups building export-driven growth strategies, the legal reset in Washington does not remove risk. It reshapes it. The question now is not whether tariffs…
by
Richard Park . 21 Feb 2026
Latest Article
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…
by Dae-jung Park . 21 Feb 2026
Korea’s ‘Mandatory Closure’ Model Is Colliding With 24/7 Commerce, and Policy Is Catching Up Late
South Korea is reexamining one of its most symbolic retail protections: mandatory closure days for large marts. As 24-hour logistics…
by Dae-jung Park . 20 Feb 2026
Korea’s Platform Risk Just Got Real: What The Coupang Fallout Taught Founders About Single-Channel Dependence
For years, Korea’s e-commerce playbook looked simple: plug into Coupang’s logistics machine and scale. The model worked until trust faltered.…
by Chloe kim . 20 Feb 2026
Three Months into the Coupang Probe, Korea Confronts the Limits of Cross-Border Enforcement
Three months after South Korea launched its investigation into the Coupang data breach, the core legal facts are largely established.…
by Zee Cindy . 19 Feb 2026
Korea’s Startup Risk Has Changed: Profitability and IPO Credibility Now Decide the Price
A “unicorn” badge no longer guarantees liquidity in Korea’s venture market. Several startups once valued above KRW 1 trillion are…
by Daehyun Song . 19 Feb 2026
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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
TheVentures Builds Global AI Pipeline with OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic to Ease Startup Costs
TheVentures, one of Korea’s leading early-stage investors, is setting a new precedent in startup infrastructure support. Its newly announced partnership…
by Richard Park . 3 Feb 2026
Persona AI’s Strategic Pre-IPO Raise Signals Korea’s Next Wave of Sovereign, Physical AI Innovation
Korea’s AI sector is entering a pivotal transition — one defined not by scale, but by technological sovereignty. Persona AI’s…
by Chloe kim . 2 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 new tariff path emerged. For Korean startups building export-driven growth strategies, the legal reset in Washington does not remove risk. It reshapes it. The question now is not whether tariffs exist, but how stable the rules behind them really are. Supreme Court Strikes Down IEEPA Tariffs On February 20, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6–3 that tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act were unlawful. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote that IEEPA does not authorize the president to impose tariffs, noting that Congress holds constitutional authority over taxation. The ruling invalidated country-specific “reciprocal” tariffs and other levies tied to national emergency declarations, including measures applied to major trading partners. In response, President Trump announced he would sign an executive order under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 to impose a 10 percent global tariff. He said the measure would likely take effect within three days. Section 122 allows temporary tariffs of up to 15 percent…
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
Korea’s ‘Mandatory Closure’ Model Is Colliding With 24/7 Commerce, and Policy Is Catching Up Late
South Korea is reexamining one of its most symbolic retail protections: mandatory closure days for large marts. As 24-hour logistics…
20 Feb 2026
How Korea’s Post-Coupang Regulatory Shift is Quietly Redrawing the Startup Playbook
After a single data breach happening to Coupang, the rules of engagement for Korea’s platform economy are shifting in ways…
18 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