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2 clusters · 5 sources · 4 days · First seen · Last updated

South Korean SME and startup trends

Overview

Data from the Ministry of SMEs and Startups reveals diverging trends within the South Korean business landscape. In the first half of 2026, the number of new startups fell to 565,640, marking the lowest level since 2016 and the sixth consecutive year of decline. This decrease was most notable in the wholesale and retail sectors, as well as in the Incheon region. However, technology-based startups saw a 14.2% year-on-year increase, primarily driven by the information and communications technology sector.

In a separate statistical release regarding small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the total number of SMEs rose by 2.4% year-on-year to approximately 8.5 million. While the number of companies with two or more employees declined by 1.4%, one-person enterprises increased by 3.5%. Total SME revenue and employee counts also showed slight growth.

Entities

South Korea · Ministry of SMEs and Startups · Incheon

Timeline

  1. 12 days ago

    [BUSINESS] 4 sources
    South Korea SME count nears 8.5 million as revenue and employees rise

    South Korea's SME count rose 2.4% to nearly 8.5 million in 2024, with total revenue reaching 3,324 trillion KRW and a significant rise in one-person enterprises.

  2. 16 days ago

    [BUSINESS] 2 sources
    South Korea startup numbers hit record low in first half of year

    South Korea's new startups hit a record low of 565,640 in the first half of the year, marking six years of decline, though technology-based startups saw a 14.2% increase.

Sources

biz.heraldcorp.com · incheonilbo.com · joseilbo.com · newstomato.com · startuprecipe.co.kr