Ministry of SMEs and Startups Recruiting for Third Round of Export Voucher Program... 2,600 Companies to Be Selected

Fast-Track Support Within One Month
Prospective Exporters Also Eligible for Assistance

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced on May 19 that it will be accepting applications from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) wishing to participate in the third round of the 2025 SME Export Voucher Support Program until May 30.

The industry has continuously requested the expansion of export voucher support to enable swift responses to the intensification of global protectionism. As a result, an additional budget of 89.8 billion KRW was allocated in the supplementary budget, allowing for additional recruitment of participating companies. In the first round, 2,500 companies were selected, followed by 750 companies in the second round, and approximately 2,600 companies are expected to be selected in the third round.

For this third round, a fast-track selection process will be implemented to provide support within one month of application. This method was introduced in last month's announcement of the 'Export Direct Program.' While the traditional export voucher selection process took at least three months, the expedited process will reduce the period from application to support to within one month.

In addition, eligibility for participation has been expanded to include all export-oriented SMEs, and prospective export companies have also been made eligible for support. While the Export Direct Program limited eligibility to companies exporting to the United States, the broader support in this round is intended to respond to the global spread of tariff barriers and to facilitate the transformation of domestic companies into exporters.

The program will also provide support for a 'Tariff Response Package,' which includes export marketing services, export diversification, and assistance with resolving tariff disputes. SMEs selected in the third round of the export voucher program will receive customized tariff consulting from domestic and international professional firms, just as companies selected in the first and second rounds did.

Lee Soonbae, Director of Global Growth Policy at the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, stated, "We will spare no effort in ensuring that the export voucher serves as a solid stepping stone for SMEs on the global export front, so that they can continue to secure new growth engines without being shaken by external factors."