The Ministry of SMEs and Startups on Nov. 10 said the exports of companies participating in its Global Small Business Development Program in the first three quarters rose 56.3% year on year. Shown is Second Vice Minister Lee Byeonggweon on Oct. 23 delivering a congratulatory speech at the opening ceremony for this year's Korea Small Business Convention at the convention complex BEXCO in Busan's Haeundae-gu District. (Ministry of SMEs and Startups)

By Lee Dasom

Exports of 100 corporate participants in a government support program for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) rose 56.3% in the first nine months of the year from the same period last year.

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups on Nov. 10 said 92 of the 100 exporting companies selected for its Global Small Business Development Program recorded overseas shipments worth a combined USD 7.06 million from January through September, a huge leap from USD 4.52 million year on year.

The number of export destinations also shot up from 44 countries to 75, with such businesses expanding beyond their traditional markets of East Asia, the U.S. and China to 31 other states including Russia and those in Eastern Europe and Africa.

The program also helped six companies with no export performance last year achieve their first overseas sales and enter new markets.

For example, Samon developed healthy snacks using byproducts from red ginseng production to post its first exports of USD 11,000 this year. Dermis saw exports of its cosmetics made with salmon-derived functional ingredients surge from USD 38,000 in 2024 to USD 270,000 this year.

Samon on Nov. 6 received an honor in the "Frontier" category from the minister of SMEs and startups and Dermis in the "Step-up" category at K-Small Business Insight Day as part of the inaugural Local Startup Festa in Jeju City, Jeju Island.

Launched this year, the program provides step-by-step support to small businesses with high export potential in consumer goods in the form of export capacity-building training, development and commercial application of export-ready products, and participation in consumer goods trade fairs abroad.

The ministry said, "As global interest in and enthusiasm for our consumer goods continue to grow, we will fully support the efforts of innovative small businesses to bring their excellent products to the global market."

dlektha0319@korea.kr