Public Procurement Service expands global public procurement push, selecting 38 products for pilot testing in 36 countries
South Korean innovative companies now have a clear path into overseas public and private markets, with the Public Procurement Service opening a fast track through its overseas pilot testing program.
The Public Procurement Service confirmed the list of companies selected for the "2026 Second Round of Export-Leading Pilot Purchases of Innovative Products" — commonly known as the overseas pilot program — and published the results Friday on its Innovative Marketplace platform.
The overseas pilot program works by having foreign procurement agencies test domestic innovative products on a trial basis, allowing companies to demonstrate their technology and quality. The program aims to help those products break into foreign public procurement markets and expand further into private-sector channels abroad.
This round is structured around five partnership tracks: a joint-demand discovery track linked to state-owned power generation companies, an overseas market-entry demand track in partnership with KOTRA, a smart transportation demand track with the Korea Expressway Corporation, a water and climate technology innovation track in collaboration with the Korea Water Resources Corporation, and a development cooperation demand track with the Rural Development Administration.
Through this collaborative framework, a total of 38 innovative products were selected to meet demand from public institutions in 36 countries, with pilot testing set to proceed at a scale of approximately 8.4 billion won ($5.73 million).
The selection includes a large number of innovative products from strategic industries with strong global demand and high potential for public-sector application abroad, spanning AI, K-medical, hydrogen, and water and climate technology.
Notable products selected include an autonomous-driving drone facility inspection automation system for a Turkish client, a rehabilitation medical device incorporating training content for Bach Mai National Hospital in Vietnam, and an automated robot for responding to seawater-zone water pollution for a Singaporean client — all products with strong prospects for overseas market entry.
Meanwhile, since the overseas pilot program launched in 2023, participating companies have seen their average annual export revenue rise by roughly 208 percent. The program is credited with playing a key role in strengthening export competitiveness by opening new overseas sales channels and diversifying export markets for innovative products.
Applications for the first round of the 2027 overseas pilot program will open in October through the Innovative Marketplace website.
Kang Hui-hun, director of innovative procurement planning, said the overseas pilot program is "the most effective export support platform for our innovative companies to have their products' performance and quality verified directly by foreign public institutions, securing global credibility." He added that the Public Procurement Service "will systematically support the entire process — from overseas pilot testing to foreign public procurement contracts and follow-on exports — to ensure continued growth in global markets."
kwonhl@heraldcorp.com
