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9 startups created by foreigners, North Korean defectors selected for Asan Sanghoe program

Published: 18 Apr. 2025, 14:53

LEE TAE-HEE
[email protected]

Representatives of startups selected for the Asan Sanghoe program pose for a photo on April 17. [ASAN NANUM FOUNDATION]

The Asan Nanum Foundation announced Friday that it selected nine startups to receive entrepreneurial support through its Asan Sanghoe program, supporting foreign entrepreneurs and North Korean defectors.

The foundation chose nine teams, such as food tech startup Gimme Sabor, resource circulation startup MONA and Hapsida, a job training platform for foreigners, to participate in the Asan Sanghoe program through October.

Of the nine, four are startups founded by foreigners, while five were founded by North Korean defectors or people from multicultural families.

The Asan Sanghoe program used to only cover North Korean defector-founded businesses, but was expanded this year to allow foreigners and those from multicultural families to participate.

The Asan Nanum Foundation will select startups to advance into the diversity track of the Chung Ju-yung Startup Competition, also arranged by the foundation. Teams chosen from other accelerator programs operated by the foundation will come together at the startup competition, competing for a share of 59 million won in prizes.

"Through the diversity track of this year's Chung Ju-yung Startup Competition, the Asan Nanum Foundation has opened opportunities to not only North Korean defectors but also to those with migrant backgrounds and foreigners," said Park Sung-jong, head of the foundation's Social Innovation Team. "We will do our best to help startups selected for the Asan Sanghoe program to unleash their potential."

BY LEE TAE-HEE [[email protected]]