240 small and medium-sized enterprises to be selected; costs covered 50–70%
Applications accepted through Nov. 13; 583 certifications eligible
The Ministry of SMEs and Startups will provide up to 150 million won ($112,000) to small and medium-sized enterprises seeking overseas standards certifications required to enter foreign markets.
The ministry announced Tuesday it will begin accepting third-round applications for its 2026 Overseas Standards Certification Acquisition Support Program starting Wednesday.
The program covers a portion of the testing, certification and consulting costs that small and medium-sized enterprises incur when obtaining certifications required by their target export markets.
A total of 583 certifications are eligible for support, including the EU's CE marking, the United States' Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory certification and China's National Medical Products Administration approval.
This round is the final one of the year, following earlier rounds in January, April and July. The ministry plans to select approximately 240 companies and cover 50 to 70 percent of certification costs based on each company's revenue in the previous year.
The support ceiling is 100 million won per company, with medical device firms eligible for up to 150 million won. Companies with annual revenue below 10 billion won receive 70 percent coverage; those with revenue between 10 billion won and 30 billion won receive 60 percent; and those with revenue of 30 billion won or more receive 50 percent.
Eligible applicants are small and medium-sized enterprises with direct export sales below $50 million in the previous year. However, companies designated under the Global Hidden Champion 1000+ program may apply even if their direct exports exceed $50 million.
Each company may submit up to four applications per year. Certifications with a total annual application amount below 35 million won are classified as small-scale and are not subject to the four-application limit.
Overseas standards certifications are among the key requirements companies must meet to enter foreign markets, and standards and procedures vary by country, creating cost and time burdens for smaller firms. The program aims to ease those burdens and help small and medium-sized enterprises expand into overseas markets and diversify their export destinations.
Companies wishing to participate may apply through the website of the SME Export Regulation Response Support Center by 6 p.m. on Nov. 13.
Shim Jae-yun, the ministry's director general for global growth policy, said demand for overseas certifications among small and medium-sized enterprises has been rising steadily as the global export environment shifts rapidly. "We will expand the government's role — including by securing additional budget for next year — so that companies can respond quickly to a wide range of global export regulations, including certification requirements," Shim said.
boo@heraldcorp.com
