Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) form the backbone of South Korea’s economy, accounting for 99.9% of all businesses in the country and employing over 80% of the workforce.[1] [2] As of recent estimates, there are more than 7.7 million SMEs in South Korea, employing approximately 18.49 million people, or 81% of the total workforce.[3] In 2021, SMEs generated total revenues of 3,017 trillion KRW, representing a 12.8% increase from the previous year and contributing 46.9% of the nation’s total corporate revenue. Notably, since 2015, the classification criteria for SMEs have shifted from employee count to annual revenue, reflecting their growing significance in the economy.
| Manufacturing(6 business types) | Manufacturing of clothing, clothingaccessories, and fur products | C14 | KRW 150 billion or less | KRW 12 billion or less |
| Manufacturing of leather, bags, andshoes | C15 | |||
| Manufacturing of pulp, paper, and paper products | C17 | KRW 12 billion or less | ||
| Primary metal manufacturing | C24 | KRW 8 billion or less | ||
| Electrical equipment manufacturing | C28 | |||
| Furniture manufacturing | C32 | |||
| Agriculture, forestry, and fisheries | A | KRW 100 billion or less | KRW 8 billion or less | |
| Mining | B | |||
| Manufacturing(12 business types) | Food manufacturing | C10 | KRW 12 billion or less | |
| Tobacco manufacturing | C12 | KRW 8 billion or less | ||
| Textile product manufacturing(excluding clothing manufacturing) | C13 | |||
| Timber and wood product manufacturing (excluding furnituremanufacturing) | C16 | |||
| Manufacturing of coke, briquettes, and refined petroleum products | C19 | KRW 12 billion or less | ||
| Chemicals and chemical product manufacturing (excluding medicinemanufacturing) | C20 | |||
| Rubber and plastic product manufacturing | C22 | KRW 8 billion or less | ||
| Metalwork product manufacturing(excluding machine and furniture manufacturing) | C25 | KRW 12 billion or less | ||
| Manufacturing of electronic parts, computers, video, audio, and communications equipment | C26 | |||
| Manufacturing of other machines and equipment | C29 | |||
| Automobile and trailer manufacturing | C30 | |||
| Manufacturing of other transportation equipment | C31 | KRW 8 billion or less | ||
| Supply of electricity, gas, steam, and air conditioning | D | KRW 12 billion or less | ||
| Waterworks | E36 | |||
| Construction | F | KRW 8 billion or less | ||
| Wholesale and retail businesses | G | KRW 5 billion or less | ||
| Manufacturing(6 business types) | Beverage manufacturing | C11 | KRW 80 billion or less | KRW 12 billion or less |
| Printing and recording media duplication | C18 | KRW 8 billion or less | ||
| Manufacturing of medical materialsand pharmaceuticals | C21 | KRW 12 billion or less | ||
| Manufacturing of nonmetallic mineral products | C23 | |||
| Manufacturing of medical, precision,optics and clocks | C27 | KRW 8 billion or less | ||
| Manufacturing of other products | C33 | |||
| Water, sewage, and waste disposal, raw material recycling (excluding waterworks) | E(excludingE36) | KRW 3 billion or less | ||
| Transportation and warehousing | H | KRW 8 billion or less | ||
| Information and communications | J | KRW 5 billion or less | ||
| Repair of industrial machinery and equipment | C34 | KRW 60 billion or less | KRW 1 billion or less | |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | M | KRW 3 billion or less | ||
| Business facility management, business support, and rental services (excluding rental businesses) | N(excludingN76) | KRW 3 billion or less | ||
| Health and social welfare services | Q | KRW 1 billion or less | ||
| Arts, sports and leisure services | R | KRW 3 billion or less | ||
| Repair and other personal services | S | KRW 1 billion or less | ||
| Accommodations and restaurants | I | KRW 40 billion or less | KRW 1 billion or less | |
| Finance and insurance | K | KRW 8 billion or less | ||
| Real estate businesses | L | KRW 3 billion or less | ||
| Leasing businesses | N76 | KRW 3 billion or less | ||
| Education services | P | KRW 1 billion or less | ||
| Manufacturing of new seats for automobiles | C30393 | Average sales less thanKRW 150 billion | Average salesless than KRW 12 billion | |
| Manufacturing of rail vehicle seats among manufacturers of rail vehicle parts and related devices | C31202 | |||
| Manufacturing of aircraft seats among aircraft part manufacturers | C31322 | |||
| CF Technology | 씨에프테크놀로지 | Technology | software | Asan | 2020 | https://cftech.co.kr/ | |
| DONGHAE SEAFOOD | 동해로씨푸드 | Consumer goods | Food | Busan | 2011 | http://www.dhrofood.com/ | |
| Micro TS | 주식회사 마이크로티에스 | Industrials | Electronic & electrical equipment | Cheonan | 2008 | http://www.micro-ts.co.kr/index.php | |
| Naeil Shinmun | 내일 신문 | Consumer services | Media | Seoul | 1993 | https://www.naeil.com/ | |
| Viva mobility | 비바 모빌리티 | Consumer goods | Automotive | Daegu | 2018 | https://vivamobility.kr/hello | |
| Harrie Inc. | 주시회사 해리 | Telecommunications | Mobile telecommunications | Seoul | 2016 | https://telecom.harrie.co.kr/ | |
| Star Sports | 신신상사 주식회사 | Consumer goods | Personal goods | Namyangju | 1965 | https://starsports.co.kr/html/index.asp | |
| dongjin pharmaceutical | 동진제약 | Consumer goods | pharmaceutical | Chungcheongnam-do | 2000 | http://www.idongjinkorea.com/default/index.php | |
| ACE PLANET CORP | 주식회사 에이스플래닛 | Consumer service | Marketing service | Seoul | 2019 | http://www.aceplanet.co.kr/home/ | |
| Chancemobile | 찬스모바일 | Telecommunications | Mobile telecommunications | Seoul | 2024 | https://chancemobile.co.kr/ |