Korea's Strategic Industry 30 Export Projects: Selection Results and Support Plan

The government applied a clear quantitative and qualitative evaluation framework to compress hundreds of candidate projects down to a final thirty. Selection was not based simply on large export value — only projects where Korean companies have a genuine competitive advantage and where the importing country's demand has been specifically confirmed were included.

The first criterion is export spillover effect. This was evaluated to include not just the direct export scale of the individual project but also the indirect induced effects in components, materials, and services sectors, and the potential for SME participation in the supply chain. The second is Korea's global competitive advantage, comprehensively assessed across technology level, delivery capability, price competitiveness, and overseas certification status. The third is specificity of the recipient country's import demand — only projects with confirmed procurement plans, budget allocation, and government approval were included. The fourth is public-private cooperation potential, with priority given to projects where government G2G channels and private company sales capabilities can generate synergy.

Semiconductors and displays received the largest allocation — five of the 30 projects — with a 2028 cumulative export target of $28 billion, ranking first overall. The five projects cover materials, equipment, packaging, and OLED displays rather than finished chips. The core structure is government provision of certification, networks, and financing as a package so that Korea's semiconductor materials and equipment mid-tier companies can enter global supply chains.

The largest of the five projects is the "US CHIPS Act-Linked Materials and Equipment Supply Chain Entry Project." It supports Korean mid-tier companies in absorbing the materials and equipment demand created by Intel, TSMC, Korea Corp, and Micron's new fab construction in the United States. KOTRA Silicon Valley and New York trade offices handle local OEM certification support and buyer matching, while Korea Eximbank ECA financing connects to long-term supply contracts. The second is the "India Semiconductor Mission Supply Chain Entry Project," using G2G channels so Korean materials and equipment companies can register as official suppliers to the semiconductor clusters India is developing. The third is the "OLED Display Global Supply Chain Diversification Project," targeting expanded OLED panel and module exports based on Korea-affiliated factories in Vietnam and Poland.

Direct relevance to Bangladesh is low, but indirect pathways exist. As Bangladesh's textile and garment factories transition to automation, demand is increasing for automated equipment incorporating semiconductor-based controllers, sensors, and communication modules. Growth in Korean semiconductor materials and equipment companies' global orders can flow through civilian application of related dual-use technologies into Bangladesh's manufacturing automation market.

Five automobile and parts projects and four shipbuilding and maritime plant projects — nine in total — are allocated to these two traditional export leaders. The common thread is that "green transition" is at the core of all of them. The fundamental driver for automobiles is the transition from internal combustion engines to EV and hybrid; for shipbuilding, the transition to LNG, ammonia, and methanol propulsion vessels. Including one construction and plant project, this sector forms ten projects with a combined $53.5 billion target.

The most important of the five automobile projects is the "US IRA-Compliant EV Parts Supply Chain Entry Project." It supports certification and local entity establishment as a package, enabling Korean small and mid-tier parts companies to formally enter the Korea Motors-Kia supply chain that must satisfy US Inflation Reduction Act sourcing requirements for tax credit eligibility. The second is the "Middle East and ASEAN Complete Vehicle Export Diversification Project," supporting the expansion of Korea Motors-Kia dealer networks and after-sales networks in the Middle East and Southeast Asia to offset the impact of US and China tariff shocks.

Four secondary battery and materials projects, three bio and health projects, three defense projects, and two nuclear and energy projects — twelve in total — are concentrated in this sector. The common characteristics are large per-unit order values, government G2G diplomatic support that determines order success, and high technology barriers that enable clear differentiation from late-entrant competitors like China.

The four secondary battery projects support export of cathode, anode, electrolyte, and separator materials as well as battery cell production equipment, linked to Korea Energy Solution, Korea SDI, and 코리아SK On's factory construction in the US and EU. "Ally nation materials preference" provisions created by the US IRA and the EU Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) form a favorable environment for Korean secondary battery materials.

The largest of the three bio and health projects is the "Global South Hospital Modernization Medical Device Package Export" project. It designates Bangladesh, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Egypt as primary target countries and focuses on supplying ultrasound devices, endoscopes, and in-vitro diagnostic equipment through ODA-linked government procurement. This project has the highest direct relevance to Bangladesh.

The three defense projects target Poland and Romania (K2 tank and K9 self-propelled howitzer follow-on), UAE and Saudi Arabia (Cheongung air defense system additional orders), and Indonesia and the Philippines (FA-50 and maritime patrol vessel) respectively. The two nuclear projects target the Czech Dukovany follow-on and SMR introduction in Poland and Romania.

In the bio and health sector, KOTRA has identified Bangladesh as a key hub for its Global South medical device market strategy. Bangladesh's government "National District Hospital Modernization Plan" procures ultrasound, blood analyzers, digital X-ray, and endoscopy equipment through quarterly tenders from 2025 to 2030. Korean medical device exports to Bangladesh were approximately $80 million in 2024, but combining the bio and health export project with the Dhaka Trade Office's procurement notification service opens a pathway to over $150 million by 2028.

The three ICT and software projects have the most multi-layered connections to Bangladesh among all 30 projects. The three projects cover respectively "smart city and e-government solutions export," "fintech and mobile payment platform export," and "cloud and SaaS SME global expansion." Bangladesh's "Smart Bangladesh 2041" vision is the demand foundation for all three. Dhaka's digital infrastructure expansion, Bangladesh's mobile banking ecosystem (bKash etc.), and SME manufacturers' demand for ERP and MES adoption each correspond to one.

The government support package is organized across two axes: financial and non-financial. Financial support includes Korea Eximbank ECA (export credit), Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) ODA packages, K-SURE guarantee expansion, and KDB/IBK policy finance linkage. Non-financial support includes 80% of overseas certification costs, export fast-track customs processing, G2G negotiation support, export vouchers up to KRW 100 million, full overseas exhibition participation cost coverage, R&D-linked product upgrading funding, and overseas marketer deployment.

When the 30 export projects are classified from a Bangladesh perspective, they divide into direct demand projects and indirect beneficiary projects. Direct demand projects are those where Bangladesh can participate as an actual import buyer; indirect beneficiary projects are those where Korea's global order success indirectly promotes related product exports to Bangladesh through enhanced technology credibility.

Direct demand projects include "Global South Hospital Modernization Medical Device Package Export," "Smart City and E-government Solutions Export," "ODA-Linked Infrastructure Orders," and "Renewable Energy Equipment Emerging Market Export." Bangladesh is explicitly named as a key target country in all four of these projects, or the Dhaka Trade Office directly handles related work.

Automation machinery and equipment exports do not appear as a standalone line item in the 30 projects list, but connect to Bangladesh's textile and garment automation market as an extension of semiconductor-based automation equipment and EV parts factory automation equipment exports. According to BGMEA statistics, over 70% of large Bangladesh garment factories plan to replace automatic sewing, cutting, and inspection equipment between 2025 and 2030. Absorbing this demand is the core of the Dhaka Trade Office's "manufacturing automation export linkage" program.

The 30 projects transition to an implementation framework simultaneously with the selection announcement. Lead ministries and executing agencies are designated for each project, and participant company recruitment begins. The schedule is organized in three phases: Phase 1 (2026): project team formation, participant company selection, and initial order activity; Phase 2 (2027): contract execution, supply chain stabilization, and local partner acquisition; Phase 3 (2028): delivery and after-sales system completion, performance evaluation, and follow-on project identification.

The Strategic Industry 30 Export Projects represent the embodiment of "strategic focus" chosen by the Korean government in an uncertain trade environment. The 30 projects across nine industries each target different markets and customers — but they share the characteristic that the greatest results emerge when Korea's technological competitiveness is combined with government diplomatic, financial, and certification support.

Bangladesh holds specific touchpoints where it can participate as a direct demand country in the bio and health, ICT and software, construction and plant, and energy segments of these 30 projects. Strengthening the Dhaka Trade Office's role and tight linkage with Bangladesh government procurement plans are the keys to converting these touchpoints into substantive export outcomes. For both Korean companies and Bangladesh buyers, the 30 projects represent concrete business opportunities that require action now.