The government's 2026 Integrated Startup Support Announcement further expands the role of local governments. A total of 420 startup support programs are operated by metropolitan and basic local governments, significantly exceeding the number of central government programs. While the budget, at 190.5 billion won, is smaller than that of the central government, it is significant in that it provides localized startup support.
Seoul City allocated the largest budget, totaling 39 billion won across 42 projects. Key initiatives include open innovation, connecting large and medium-sized enterprises with startups, and supporting the growth of technology-based startups. The Gyeonggi region also includes numerous technology startup and accelerator programs linking universities, creative economy innovation centers, and private sector operators.
Non-metropolitan areas also developed strategies tailored to their respective industrial structures. Gyeongnam focused its programs on local entrepreneurship and the convergence of manufacturing and design, while Chungbuk focused on supporting startups linked to strategic industries such as secondary batteries, biotechnology, and advanced IT. Jeollanam-do and Gyeongbuk expanded programs that combine youth, deep tech, and local entrepreneurship.
The number of local government-level projects has increased to 211. While budgeted on a small scale, they are primarily focused on supporting startups that are closely tied to everyday life and established in the local community. This is in line with the trend of leveraging startups as a local policy tool to address population decline and regional extinction.
As the central government's large-scale policies and local governments' field-focused support continue to evolve, some analysts suggest that the focus of startup support policies is gradually shifting to regional areas. The key to the future will be how successful startup support linked to regionally specialized industries will be.