Single account to access Ministry of SMEs and Startups and affiliated agencies; data linkage and AI service recommendations planned
Small businesses and self-employed operators in South Korea will soon be able to access major policy services run by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups and its affiliated agencies through a single account.
The ministry said Thursday it will launch the "SMEs & Ventures 24 Integrated Membership Service" starting at 9 a.m. Friday. Previously, small and medium-sized enterprises and small business owners had to create separate accounts and log in individually to each agency's website to use services covering policy financing, startups, research and development, exports and small business support. The new system allows users to access multiple policy platforms with a single login.
A key feature of the service is that support program information previously scattered across the ministry and its affiliated public institutions will now be accessible through a single portal. Businesses and small business owners will no longer need to repeat separate registration and login procedures for each agency, reducing their administrative burden. The ministry plans to expand data linkages to build a one-stop service covering everything from policy applications to post-management follow-up.
The ministry will initially run the integrated membership service on a pilot basis, operating it in parallel with the existing SMEs & Ventures 24 platform for a set period to ensure a stable transition for users. It will continuously improve service quality by incorporating feedback from users in the field.
Search functions and the user interface and experience for frequently used features — including certificate issuance and support program information — will be steadily improved, and the foundation for company-tailored services will be built out in stages.
Building on the integrated membership framework, the ministry plans to link policy and support program data and introduce a pilot AI-based support program recommendation service in September, developing the platform around users' needs.
"This integrated membership service is the first step toward making it more convenient for small and medium-sized enterprises and small business owners to use a wide range of SME policies," Minister Han Seong-sook said. "We will gradually connect the policy services that have been dispersed and improve policy accessibility, developing this into a platform that provides real, practical help for business growth."
boo@heraldcorp.com
