The Korea Technology Finance Corporation announced on the 2nd that it has implemented tailored guarantee systems, ‘special guarantees for corporations operating in the semiconductor industry’ and ‘favorable guarantees to strengthen competitiveness for AI and AX (artificial intelligence conversion).’
The Korea Technology Finance Corporation has prepared this support scheme to alleviate the burden on small and medium-sized enterprises amid changes in the global trade environment and increasing domestic and international uncertainty, and to enhance the competitiveness of key national industries and secure technological superiority. Through this, it plans to strengthen support so that technology innovation corporations can turn crises into opportunities and scale up.
First, the ‘special guarantees for corporations operating in the semiconductor industry’ are a follow-up measure to the ‘plan to strengthen financial investments for global semiconductor competitiveness’ announced by the government in April. It will provide concentrated financial support for excellent technology corporations in the semiconductor sector, such as fabless, foundry, and materials, components, and equipment, that are necessary for research and development (R&D) and localization of manufacturing equipment. The Korea Technology Finance Corporation will preferentially apply the maximum guarantee limit of up to 20 billion won for supported corporations and offer benefits such as raising the maximum guarantee ratio to 95% and reducing the guarantee fee rate by up to 0.3 percentage points.
Moreover, through the ‘favorable guarantees to strengthen competitiveness for AI and AX,’ it plans to address the global gap in the AI field and support the smooth AX (artificial intelligence conversion) of technology innovation corporations by expanding key infrastructure. The Korea Technology Finance Corporation will apply preferential treatment to AI technology corporations and those adopting and utilizing AI, including raising the guarantee ratio (up to 95%) and reducing the guarantee fee rate (up to 0.3%p↓) and expanding special provisions for calculation.
Earlier, the Korea Technology Finance Corporation implemented a ‘special guarantee to overcome crises caused by changes in the trade environment’ with a scale of 1.2 trillion won based on government contributions secured through the government’s first supplementary budget last month, to support corporations affected by U.S. tariff measures. The Korea Technology Finance Corporation plans to actively respond to global changes in the trade environment by establishing three customized support systems, including the special guarantee to overcome crises in the trade environment, special guarantees for corporations operating in the semiconductor industry, and favorable guarantees to strengthen competitiveness for AI and AX, and to fully support small and medium-sized enterprises in alleviating management difficulties and enhancing technological competitiveness.
Kim Jong-ho, chairman of the Korea Technology Finance Corporation, said, ‘The Korea Technology Finance Corporation has swiftly prepared three types of special (favorable) guarantees to help small and medium-sized venture enterprises that are struggling due to increased domestic and international uncertainty and global changes in the trade environment overcome crises and make a leap forward.’ He added, ‘We will actively support small and medium venture enterprises with technological capabilities and growth potential to use crises as a stepping stone to scale up through various tailored support programs.’