Seoul Business Agency Unveils Ambitious Global Strategy for 2026

The Seoul Business Agency (SBA), led by CEO Kim Hyun-woo, announced on the 10th that it is declaring 2026 as the 'Global 2.0 Year' and will undertake a comprehensive innovation of its overseas export support initiatives. This declaration signifies a strategic pivot from a focus on domestic market stabilization to aggressive global outreach, thereby responding effectively to the rapidly shifting global economic landscape.

Historically, the SBA centered its efforts on invigorating domestic markets until 2021; however, starting in 2022, it realigned its strategy to emphasize international market penetration. This transition has yielded extraordinary results, with the organization generating an impressive export pipeline that is projected to showcase a 47-fold increase in export revenues from the 2021 baseline to 2025, rising from 4.3 billion KRW to a staggering 571 billion KRW, based on an increased budget of 6.9 billion KRW.

The SBA's marketing division has leveraged the last four years of export support experience to implement an online-to-offline (O2O) export model that seamlessly integrates both digital and traditional sales channels. No longer confined to isolated successes in individual strategic areas, this model aims to create a comprehensive support structure that facilitates optimized assistance through various business growth stages.

This O2O model is predicated on a virtuous cycle starting with Seoul Award certification, which identifies high-quality products, allowing them to enter online platforms for validation before connecting with key exhibitions and local retail channels for tangible sales advancements. The revamped approach focuses on enhancing the Seoul Award, traditionally domestic-focused, now reorienting toward global export capabilities by 2025.

The support structure has evolved beyond mere certification, encompassing substantial follow-up support aimed at revenue generation. Selected businesses will gain access to seven major platforms and participate in international exhibitions, with companies achieving significant contracts totaling 220 million USD at this year’s Cosmoprof Bologna, which serves as a strategic entrance into the Italian market.

Simultaneously, the SBA is significantly expanding its partnerships with global online platforms, including Amazon (North America and the Middle East), TikTok Shop (North America and Southeast Asia), Shopee (Southeast Asia), Rakuten and Qoo10 (Japan), Xiaohongshu (China), and Mercado Libre (Latin America). The plan encompasses generating exports from approximately 840 companies with a target of 255 billion KRW in export volumes. An emphasis on viral marketing through platforms like TikTok Shop and Xiaohongshu will drive immediate consumer engagement while positioning brands for systematic support from local marketing efforts to sales results.

The SBA's export roadmap has been meticulously crafted over the past four years, encompassing the entire process from domestic and international consulting to entry into major retail channels. This integrated process facilitates step-by-step support, including online and offline export counseling, necessary certification registrations, market validation through exhibitions and pop-up stores, influencer marketing, and entry into global retail channels.

In 2025, the SBA plans to roll out a comprehensive support strategy targeting Asia (Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia, Singapore) and the Middle East, focusing on tailored one-stop support systems aimed at maximizing product-specific strategies for both mass and premium markets. Additionally, expanding participation in major exhibitions and leveraging global hubs in Thailand, Japan, and the Middle East will execute the 'Seoul Lifestyle Hub Outbound Project,' facilitating buyer matching and sales data acquisition.

CEO Kim Hyun-woo stated, 'Through a four-year commitment to enhancing our export capabilities, our companies are achieving visible results in the global marketplace. Moving forward, we will continue to refine our O2O export pipeline, ensuring Seoul-based businesses secure substantive competitive advantages in international markets.'