Korea to support 2,559 AI SMEs and startups, excluding AI startups under five years old from routine tax audits (report)

What happened

Korea's Ministry of SMEs and Startups and the National Tax Service said on the 11th that they will provide combined policy and tax administration support to 2,559 promising AI small and medium-sized businesses and startups. AI startups founded within the past five years will be excluded from selection for routine tax audits. AI SMEs can postpone routine tax audits by up to three years. R&D and commercialization support will be bundled with tax support. The measure follows up on an "AI SME and Startup Growth Support" agreement the two agencies signed in December 2025.

Why it matters

The measure directly reduces the tax burden on Korean AI startups. The 2,559 companies selected give a sense of how many firms the government considers promising AI companies.

Sources

• Press 국세청, 중기부와 2559개 AI 중소·스타트업 집중 지원 Electronic Times (Korea)