Korean cultural content has become one of the nation’s strongest exports, but securing financing for overseas expansion remains a challenge. To bridge this gap, the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) and Korea Trade Insurance Corporation (K-Sure) have launched the Cultural Industry Guarantee, a new export financing program designed to help content startups secure contracts and compete globally with stronger financial backing.
Korean Agencies Back K-Content with Dedicated Export Financing
The Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) and the Korea Trade Insurance Corporation (K-Sure) have signed a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) to expand financing tools for domestic content companies targeting global markets.
The partnership, signed on August 14 and formally announced on August 17, introduces a Cultural Industry Guarantee program designed to strengthen the overseas expansion of Korean content startups and creative businesses.
Cultural Industry Guarantee: Financing for Global Expansion
Under the agreement, KOCCA and K-Sure will jointly operate the Cultural Industry Guarantee as a dedicated export financing mechanism.
- Each company can receive up to ₩1 billion (approximately US$740,000) in guarantees in 2025.
- K-Sure will reduce guarantee fees by 20% for companies recommended by KOCCA.
- The overall financing support enabled by this program is projected to reach ₩15 billion (about US$11 million).
This new structure moves beyond the scope of KOCCA’s existing content guarantee system, which has traditionally focused on domestic distribution. By emphasizing export support, the initiative provides specialized tools for companies to overcome distribution limits and build financial resilience in global markets.
KOCCA explained,
“Unlike the existing content guarantee program, which primarily focused on financial support for domestic distribution, the new export guarantee serves as a specialized financial instrument targeting overseas expansion. It will help overcome distribution limitations and enhance the resilience of content companies.”
Cultural Industry Guarantee: Supporting Hallyu’s Overseas Expansion
The program is expected to play a critical role in backing Hallyu export support, helping cultural and creative content companies secure stable financing as they sign export contracts.
KOCCA also plans to extend group insurance to cover export agreements made during its global events, such as the K-Content Expo and inter-ministerial Hallyu trade fairs.
This will give Korean startups and content producers additional security when negotiating deals with international partners.
Government Policy for Creative Industries
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, which oversees KOCCA, positioned the program as part of Korea’s broader government policy for creative industries. The initiative underscores a commitment to ensuring financial systems keep pace with the global ambitions of content startups and the evolving needs of the creative economy.
Yoo Hyun-seok, Acting President of KOCCA, stated,
“We have been building diverse and flexible financial support systems to back the creation and production activities of content companies. With the newly introduced export guarantee program, we will actively foster a stable financial environment for K-Content.”
Strengthening Content Startups’ Global Competitiveness
The introduction of the Cultural Industry Guarantee marks a significant policy step in ensuring content startups’ global competitiveness. By reducing financial risks and providing specialized export instruments, Korea is equipping its creative industries to secure contracts, scale operations, and strengthen their foothold in international markets.
For the Korean startup ecosystem, the program illustrates how export financing and targeted government support can act as enablers of innovation, allowing cultural industries to sustain momentum in overseas markets while reinforcing the global profile of K-Content.
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