KoreaTechDesk | Korean Startup and Technology News

Thu, February 19, 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 that reach far beyond cybersecurity. What began as accountability for one company is evolving into a broader rewrite of how digital marketplaces operate. And this provides a signal that is…
by Dae-jung Park . 18 Feb 2026

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Medical AI Revenue Surge Brings Korea Its First Profitable Listed Player

Korea’s medical AI story has usually been told as a promise: strong science, impressive demos, long timelines, thin margins. This…

by Daehyun Song . 18 Feb 2026
As Lunar New Year Cash Flows In, Korea’s Newly Institutionalized STO Market Faces Its First Real Retail Test

Retail capital does not wait for policy debates to settle. It moves when cash becomes available. In Korea, Lunar New…

by Chloe kim . 17 Feb 2026
NEXUS Bets on an Agentverse Strategy, Offering a New Signal to Korea’s Tech Market

A public company that spent years bleeding cash rarely gets credit for experimentation. Markets prefer predictable earnings, not new theories.…

by Richard Park . 16 Feb 2026
Korea’s Youth Employment Slide Deepens, Raising Questions for an AI-Led Startup Economy

The loudest startup stories are still about funding rounds and national AI ambitions. The quieter signal is a workforce that…

by Zee Cindy . 16 Feb 2026
KIBO’s Record Loan Repayments Signal Rising Stress in Korea’s Startup Credit Pipeline

Korea’s startup economy rests on more than venture capital. A large share of early-stage firms rely on policy-backed loan guarantees…

by Daehyun Song . 16 Feb 2026
K-Fashion Finds a Capital-Light Export Path as Korean Brands Use Crowdfunding to Test Global Demand

Korean consumer exports are rising again, but the more revealing shift is happening before products ever reach customs. Instead of…

by Daehyun Song . 16 Feb 2026

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MOST READ ARTICLE OF THE WEEK

[mostReadArticle]
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
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 that reach far beyond cybersecurity. What began as accountability for one company is evolving into a broader rewrite of how digital marketplaces operate. And this provides a signal that is not just episodic but also structural for both founders building in South Korea and investor watching regulatory risk in Asia’s fourth-largest economy. Coupang Data Breach Triggers Broad Platform Regulation Push in Korea In November 2025, Coupang disclosed that personal information from approximately 4,500 accounts had been leaked without authorization. The company reported the incident to the Ministry of Science and ICT, the Korea Internet & Security Agency, and the Personal Information Protection Commission. Public and political reaction was swift. Initial debate focused on whether Coupang had met its security and management obligations. But within weeks, discussions widened beyond individual corporate responsibility. According to policy briefings and National Assembly records cited in the Startup Alliance issue paper published in February 2026, lawmakers began advancing amendments across multiple domains: Personal Information Protection…

18 Feb 2026
Korea’s Anti-Broker Reform Now Proceeds to Enforcement Mode

Trust in public capital rarely collapses overnight. It erodes quietly — through shortcuts, intermediaries, and systems that reward familiarity over…

15 Feb 2026
Korea Moves to Bridge Law and AI: LegalTech Debate Tests the Limits of Regulation-Driven Innovation

Korea’s next frontier in AI governance is moving from laboratories to courtrooms. After becoming the first nation to fully enforce…

10 Feb 2026
Korea’s “Zero-Base Regulation” Moment: Can a Startup Nation Be Built Without Breaking Its Old Rules?

South Korea is once again promising to reset its regulatory framework for startups—this time to “zero.” President Lee Jae-myung’s latest…

9 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