South Korea is rethinking how it supports small and medium-sized enterprises going global. The Ministry of SMEs and Startups and KOSMES (Korea SMEs and Startups Agency) are launching a “Global Basecamp” pilot in the U.S. Southeast — a new model that trades government-run facilities for a locally anchored, private-sector-led approach.

The initiative breaks from the existing Global Business Center network, which currently operates 22 locations across 14 countries including China, the United States, and Vietnam. Rather than expanding that footprint, the Global Basecamp targets regions not already served by those centers — with the U.S. Southeast chosen as the first site, given the region’s growing concentration of Korean businesses and well-established Korean-American networks.

At the core of the new model is a locally established private operator, who will run the basecamp and tailor support directly to regional market conditions and industry dynamics. The operator will be expected to maintain a strong on-the-ground presence and work actively with local institutions and business organizations — acting less as a coordinator and more as a full-service partner for Korean SMEs entering the market.

That support spans the full arc of market entry: identifying and onboarding Korean companies, running a permanent exhibition space to connect firms with prospective buyers, and facilitating targeted business matchmaking. Operators will also guide companies through the contracting process from start to finish — covering verification, risk assessment, and final agreement — alongside mentoring backed by local expertise.

Applications for the operating institution are open from April 9 to 23, with guidelines available on the MSS and KOSMES websites. A separate call for SMEs interested in participating is expected to follow in May.

The Global Basecamp marks a broader pivot in Korea’s export strategy — one that puts private networks at the center and offers Korean startups and SMEs not just market access, but a structured path to lasting integration.