metaqsolSouth Korea is launching new policies to support foreign-invested companies and regional growth.
The initiative aims to increase youth employment and attract major foreign investment projects.
The policy was announced at a high-level meeting on January 28, 2026.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare discussed preparations for the barrier-free kiosk mandate and nationwide integrated care rollout at the 2026 Central-Local Cooperation Meeting.
From January 28, most businesses must install barrier-free kiosks, and integrated medical, nursing, and care services will be available nationwide from March 27.
The government and local authorities are strengthening education and promotion to ensure smooth implementation and early stabilization of these policies.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is creating a 731.8 billion KRW content policy fund to accelerate the K-Culture 300 trillion KRW era.
This is the largest fund ever, up 22% from last year, including 650 billion KRW for culture and 81.8 billion KRW for film across five sub-funds.
By expanding incentives for private investors and focusing on new growth areas, the initiative aims to ensure stable growth and global competitiveness for Korea’s content industry.
The Ministry of SMEs and Startups and two other ministries announced a 2.1 trillion KRW investment to create a 4.4 trillion KRW venture fund in 2026.
Key focuses include AI and deep tech unicorns, regional growth, global expansion, and revitalizing the startup and exit markets across 13 sectors.
Fund proposals are accepted online from February 19 to 26, with final fund managers to be selected in April.
In 2023, foreign favorability toward Korea reached a record 82.3% since the 2018 survey began.
A Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism survey of 13,000 people in 26 countries found K-content had the greatest positive impact.
Middle Eastern and African nations showed especially high favorability, with positive trends also seen in Japan and China.
The Ministry of Employment and Labor reorganized the task force for reducing actual working hours into an implementation monitoring team.
A total of KRW 936.3 billion will be invested this year in government support programs, including the Work-Life Balance+4.5 Project and smart factory expansion.
The team will strengthen on-site monitoring of the tripartite declaration, accelerating efforts to shorten working hours and improve work practices.