This article is by Lim Sun-young and read by an artificial voice.

Korea plans to allow pension funds to invest in venture capital to expand the size of the country's venture investment market to 40 trillion won ($27.7 billion), said Han Seong-sook, Minister of SMEs and Startups, on Wednesday.
Speaking at a press briefing marking her 100th day in office, held at Tipstown in Yeoksam-dong, southern Seoul, Han said the ministry would promote an "Again Venture Boom" under four main policy directions: revitalizing venture investment, scaling up small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), supporting small business recovery and building a connected corporate ecosystem.
"We will push to allow pension and retirement funds to invest in venture capital to help activate private investment," Han said. The venture industry has long called for legal changes to permit such investments, arguing that government and pension funding must flow into startups for the market to reach the 40-trillion-won goal from the current funding levels of around 10 trillion won per year. Relevant ministries are currently reviewing the proposal.
Han also announced plans to nurture about 6,000 promising startups each year "to usher in an era of entrepreneurship for everyone." The ministry will unveil a comprehensive strategy later this month, outlining detailed measures for startup growth.
To help SMEs grow, Han said the ministry would focus on "R&D that makes money." The government has allocated a record 2.2 trillion won for SME research and development in next year's budget, with half of it - about 1.1 trillion won - earmarked for startups already validated in the market.
"We will support the entire process from feasibility review to commercialization," she said.
The ministry will also promote a "digital and AI transformation" across industries, from traditional to advanced manufacturing.
"We will distribute 12,000 AI-based smart factories tailored to company needs," Han said, adding that the initiative will help older manufacturers digitize and high-tech firms adopt AI.
For small business owners, the ministry will introduce a one-stop support system to help them recover from financial distress. Han said the government would continuously monitor 3 million small business owners with existing loans, identify early warning signs and offer customized policy financing after diagnostic reviews.
Han also emphasized creating an ecosystem that connects conglomerates, SMEs, startups and small businesses.
"Collaboration has traditionally focused on large and small companies," she said. "We will build partnerships where startup technologies can be integrated into products made by major corporations."
Reflecting on her first 100 days as minister, Han said, "The responsibility feels heavier than I expected, but the ministry will take the lead to ensure SMEs not only recover, but grow."
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

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