South Korea Expands Workplace Safety Tech Funding for Small Businesses
South Korea's Ministry of SMEs and Startups is accepting applications for a government-funded program that supports workplace safety technology development at companies with fewer than 50 employees. The program opens June 15 and runs through July 2.
The ministry will fund 20 projects with up to 660 million won each over two years. This marks the second year of the initiative, which targets small businesses that face higher accident rates but lack resources for safety infrastructure.
Expanded Scope and Focus Areas
The program now covers all industries, including construction and manufacturing. Last year it was limited to manufacturing.
Projects must address one of four categories: worker behavior-based accident prevention, hazardous machinery management, fire and gas hazard prevention, or AI-based safety management systems.
Who Can Apply
Safety equipment suppliers or solution developers can apply by forming a consortium with at least two companies that each employ fewer than 50 workers. Applications go through the government's integrated R&D support platform.
Evaluators will prioritize practical applicability for small businesses. They'll assess cost efficiency, ease of use, compatibility with existing equipment, and accident prevention effectiveness. The program includes field testing at actual worksites.
Commercialization Plans
The ministry plans to connect successful projects with other government workplace safety programs run by the Ministry of Employment and Labor. This coordination aims to speed up commercialization and deployment of approved technologies.
Hwang Young-ho, director general for technology innovation policy at the ministry, said small businesses face labor shortages and rising safety management costs. Digital and AI-based solutions can address these pressures while reducing safety gaps at smaller operations.
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