Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises and Startups Lee So-young announced plans on the 21st to establish a support system tailored to the conditions of existing partners and new entrants participating in the government's mega projects.
During a meeting with representatives from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), startups, and venture companies in the semiconductor, artificial intelligence (AI) data center, and physical AI sectors at the Korea Evaluation Data auditorium in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Lee emphasized the importance of utilizing mega projects as growth opportunities.
Lee stated that both SMEs collaborating with large corporations that have announced significant investment plans and those seeking to enter the supply chain were present to discuss ways to leverage mega projects for growth, the government's expected role, and their hopes for collaboration with large and mid-sized enterprises.
"Mega projects are a national growth strategy that will shape South Korea's future for the next 20 to 30 years, so the role and participation of SMEs are crucial for spreading the benefits throughout the industrial ecosystem," Lee said. She added that efforts would be made to ensure fairness in the entire process from supply chain entry to ordering, production, and payment, fostering a culture of 'growing together.'
Lee also mentioned that the Ministry will continue to act as a connector among SMEs involved in mega projects, large and mid-sized enterprises, and central and local governments through the SME Council, while continuously promoting measures to expand the achievements of SMEs in the three mega projects.
The three mega projects involve large-scale investment plans in the semiconductor, physical AI, and AI data center sectors. They were expanded and reorganized as the 'three mega projects' in June 2026, following their announcement in December of the previous year.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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