Startup Support Budget Restored to 30 Billion Won
Wage Subsidies for Vulnerable Groups Included
Building a Collaborative Ecosystem with Local Communities
Transition to a Public-Private Partnership Support System
In order to restore the budget for social enterprises, the government will allocate 118 billion won in support funds next year, a 315% increase compared to this year. The plan is to provide customized support throughout the business life cycle, focusing on social value, and to foster an ecosystem that enables companies to collaborate with local communities.
The Ministry of Employment and Labor announced the “Policy Direction for Social Enterprises in 2026” at the Economic Ministers’ Meeting held at the Government Complex Seoul on the 24th. The policy includes measures to ensure that social enterprises create social value and that related achievements spread throughout local communities. Going forward, the government will implement four key strategies focused on ▲value ▲collaboration ▲innovation ▲sustainability to realize these policies.
First, the government will promote customized support for each stage of the business life cycle-discovery, nurturing, and growth-based on social value. To identify promising companies, the startup support budget will be restored to 30 billion won next year, and 32.1 billion won in national funds and 10.7 billion won in local funds will be allocated to support wages for vulnerable groups, helping early-stage companies establish themselves stably. All support programs will be linked to social value assessments.
The government will also support the creation of a collaborative regional ecosystem to ensure that social value is spread throughout local areas. To help social enterprises and other social solidarity economy organizations work together with local governments, private institutions, and civil society to address issues such as job creation for vulnerable groups and care services, 13.7 billion won in national funds and 5.9 billion won in local funds will be invested in building this ecosystem.
Additionally, the government will transition to a public-private partnership support system. Functions that require public oversight, such as certification and social value assessment, will remain the responsibility of the public sector, while business support functions such as startup assistance and management consulting will be handled by specialized private institutions. Various support programs will be reorganized so that applications can be submitted both online and offline, improving convenience and accessibility on the ground.
To ensure that social enterprises can continue to deliver results, the government will also work to establish a stable policy foundation, including the creation of legally recognized organizations for social enterprises and the introduction of mutual aid funds, as well as improvements to laws and systems that support stable business growth. Efforts to improve public perception and restore trust in social enterprises will include initiatives such as selecting the “Social Enterprise of the Month” (tentative name).
To this end, the government will allocate 118 billion won in support funds for social enterprises next year. This represents a 315% increase from this year’s 28.4 billion won. Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Younghoon stated, “With this policy direction, we will restore trust with social enterprises,” adding, “We will actively support social enterprises so that they can grow together with local communities and become key players in solving structural problems in our society.”
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