KoreaTechDesk | Korean Startup and Technology News

Mon, January 19, 2026

KIBO’s Venture Camp Evolves into a National Accelerator Platform — Adding ESG and Global Growth Tracks

Korea Technology Finance Corporation (KIBO) is transforming its flagship Venture Camp into a national-scale accelerator initiative that blends public policy, private expertise, and impact-driven innovation. By integrating ESG and global expansion into its new tracks, the program marks a step toward reshaping Korea’s early-stage startup landscape and aligning it with…
by Chloe kim . 19 Jan 2026

Latest Article

With Korea’s New AI Basic Act, Can Innovation Coexist with Regulation?

South Korea is stepping into uncharted territory. On January 22, 2026, the world’s first fully enforced AI Basic Act (or…

by Richard Park . 19 Jan 2026
Korea’s Next Cyber Crisis Won’t Come From Tech — It’s Already Hiding in the Funeral Industry

Korea’s cybersecurity conversation has centered on telecoms, finance, and e-commerce. Yet the nation’s next major digital risk may already be…

by Zee Cindy . 19 Jan 2026
After the Kyowon Breach, Korea’s Mid-Tier Corporates Face a New Reality: Security Is the Next Governance Test

As cyberattacks ripple across Korea’s telecom, education, and e-commerce industries, mid-tier corporations are confronting a truth long avoided: security is…

by Dae-jung Park . 18 Jan 2026
Korea Development Bank Launches ₩7.5 Trillion “National Growth Fund” to Back Deep Tech and AI Ventures

Korea’s policy finance system is entering a new phase of scale and precision. The Korea Development Bank (KDB) has launched…

by Chloe kim . 18 Jan 2026
After the “Korean Ban”: K-Beauty’s Second Chance in China Depends on Startup Agility, Not Sentiment

Korea’s long-frozen trade with China is showing early signs of a thaw following President Lee Jae-myung’s state visit to Beijing—the…

by Richard Park . 18 Jan 2026
Market Boom and Governance Reform: Korea’s Crypto Industry Faces Its Maturity Test

South Korea’s digital asset sector stands at its most consequential crossroads since the 2017 ICO ban. While trading volumes have…

by Daehyun Song . 17 Jan 2026

Popular posts

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MOST READ ARTICLE OF THE WEEK

[mostReadArticle]
Why OpenAI Is Turning to Korea’s Venture Network to Find Its Next AI Collaborators

OpenAI is entering a new phase in its Korea strategy. After formal partnerships with government agencies and participation in global…

by Dae-jung Park . 17 Jan 2026

Korea’s Startup Alliance Beats Big Tech in National AI Contest — Upstage Leads Sovereign AI Momentum

South Korea’s AI sovereignty strategy has recently reached a critical turning point. A startup-led consortium has surpassed the country’s largest…

by Chloe kim . 17 Jan 2026
Upstage Controversy Ends with Apology from Sionic AI CEO — A Defining Moment for AI Integrity in South Korea

The plagiarism allegations that once put South Korea’s sovereign AI ambitions under scrutiny have now closed with a public apology.…

by Richard Park . 4 Jan 2026
AI Independence on Trial: How the Upstage Defense Tests Korea’s Sovereign Model Strategy

In Korea’s fast-rising AI sector, independence has become both a badge of pride and a battlefield of proof. The controversy…

by Dae-jung Park . 3 Jan 2026
With Korea’s New AI Basic Act, Can Innovation Coexist with Regulation?

South Korea is stepping into uncharted territory. On January 22, 2026, the world’s first fully enforced AI Basic Act (or AI Basic Law) will take effect, turning years of policy debate into law. The move is a global milestone—but also a stress test for Korea’s capacity to align regulation with innovation, trust with growth, and law with technological speed. Korea Officially Enforces the AI Basic Act The Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) confirmed that the AI Basic Act , formally titled the Act on the Promotion of Artificial Intelligence Development and the Establishment of a Trust-Based Foundation, will come into force this week. The AI Basic Act requires AI developers and service providers to meet defined standards of safety, transparency, and accountability, especially for systems classified as “high-impact AI.” It also introduces labeling obligations for generative AI outputs, requiring either visible or invisible notices indicating AI-generated content. While penalties can reach KRW 30 million (~USD 22,000), the government has announced a one-year guidance period, prioritizing education and adaptation over immediate enforcement. Foreign AI firms operating in Korea—those exceeding KRW…

19 Jan 2026
Fair Trade vs. Startup Trust: Yanolja and Yeogi Eottae Case Exposes Korea’s Tightrope on Innovation Governance

South Korea’s effort to strengthen fair trade oversight has put two of its largest accommodation platforms, Yanolja (야놀자) and Yeogi…

16 Jan 2026
Korea’s Ministries Clash Over DoctorNow Bill, Pulling in Opposite Directions

South Korea’s ambition to lead the next global startup wave is once again meeting its own structural limits. The latest…

15 Jan 2026
Failure Is No Longer Fatal: Korea Builds a Re-Challenge Ecosystem for Its Next Startup Wave

Korea is re-engineering the way its venture ecosystem deals with failure. The government’s 2026 Economic Growth Strategy positions entrepreneurship not…

11 Jan 2026
Korea’s Startup Investors Gather at Startup Investor Summit 2026 in Busan to Redefine Capital Beyond Money

Korea’s startup ecosystem is entering a new chapter where capital is no longer defined by money alone. As investment patterns shift from policy dependency to private initiative, the 2026 Startup Investor Summit, opening in Busan on January 29–30, brings together leading accelerators, early investors, and policymakers to explore what sustainable innovation funding really requires—trust, experience, and shared learning. Startup Investor Summit 2026 to Be Held in Busan The Korea Association of Initial Investment Accelerators (KAIA) announced that it will host the 2026 Startup Investor Summit in Busan, from January 29 to 30, under the theme “Beyond Capital, Shaking Paradigms.” The two-day event will focus on how Korea’s startup funding landscape can evolve into a mature, private-led investment ecosystem rooted in connection, solidarity, and continuous learning. It coincides with the tenth anniversary of Korea’s accelerator (AC) system—a milestone moment for reviewing what has changed and what still must. Participants will include investors, accelerators, founders, policy institutions, and regional innovation hubs, all gathering to discuss how early-stage capital can transition from transactional funding toward ecosystem-building. A Turning Point for Accelerators and Early…

14 Jan 2026
CES 2026: Korea’s Innovation Stage Is Global, Its Homework Still Local

For years, Korea’s startups have arrived at CES 2026 to prove they belong on the global stage. This year, they…

14 Jan 2026
Korea’s Deep-Tech Shift Is Further Unfolding — And CES 2026 Was the Proof

Las Vegas was noisy, as CES always is. But what stood out in the K-Startup Pavilion this year wasn’t the…

10 Jan 2026
Hyundai’s ZER01NE Turns CES 2026 into a Testbed for Korea’s Deep-Tech Future

At CES 2026 in Las Vegas, Hyundai Motor Group’s ZER01NE (제로원) is redefining what corporate open innovation means in a…

9 Jan 2026
[Exclusive Interview] ArbaLabs Founder Ashley Reeves on Korea’s Deep Tech, Trust, & Real-World AI

In an era when “AI innovation” is often reduced to marketing noise, Estonia-based ArbaLabs stands out for what it refuses…

by Zee Cindy . 9 Jan 2026
IDOLL Robotics: Korea’s Emotional AI Frontier & the Rise of the “Forever Companion” at K-Startup Grand Challenge 2025

In a country leading the world in robotics and AI adoption, IDOLL Robotics stands at the edge of a new…

by Zee Cindy . 4 Jan 2026
Vyuhaa Med Data at K-Startup Grand Challenge 2025: Redefining Diagnostic Equity through AI-Driven Microscopy

The promise of AI in healthcare often feels distant—powerful in theory, but uneven in reach. Vyuhaa Med Data, an India-based…

by Zee Cindy . 4 Jan 2026
KIBO’s Venture Camp Evolves into a National Accelerator Platform — Adding ESG and Global Growth Tracks

Korea Technology Finance Corporation (KIBO) is transforming its flagship Venture Camp into a national-scale accelerator initiative that blends public policy,…

by Chloe kim . 19 Jan 2026

Korea Development Bank Launches ₩7.5 Trillion “National Growth Fund” to Back Deep Tech and AI Ventures

Korea’s policy finance system is entering a new phase of scale and precision. The Korea Development Bank (KDB) has launched…

by Chloe kim . 18 Jan 2026
FuturePlay Secures ‘TIPS Operator of the Year’ as Korea Tightens Links Between Investment, R&D, and Global Scale-Up

As Korea recalibrates its startup policy toward deeper integration between capital, technology development, and overseas expansion, the role of intermediary…

by Zee Cindy . 22 Dec 2025
Korea’s D.CAMP Partners with Stanford to Build a Launchpad for Global Consumer Innovation

In the global startup landscape, the next frontier of competition lies not only in technology but in understanding consumers across…

by Richard Park . 21 Dec 2025
Unlocking Innovation: How Startups Can Leverage IMDA’s Open Innovation Platform

In today’s fast-evolving digital landscape, innovation is key to staying ahead. Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) has taken a…

4 Apr 2025
Factagora Launches South Korea’s First Cloud-Based AI Legal Service at Law Firm Shin & Kim

In a first of its kind instance in South Korea’s legal industry, prominent law firm Shin & Kim has implemented…

25 Dec 2024
Top Co-working Spaces for Startups & Companies to Explore in South Korea

For startups, the beginning years are the most crucial ones, when the pitches to VCs are to be made, teams…

3 Apr 2024