7 Out of 10 Export Companies Say "Finding Business Partners Is Difficult"...Growing Interest in Expanding to the Middle East

KITA Survey Targets 1,090 Export Companies
UAE and Saudi Arabia Rank High as Desired Markets
18 Percent of Participants Achieve Results in New Markets

A recent survey has found that it is necessary to strengthen the overall overseas marketing support system, including the discovery and verification of buyers with strong purchasing power and a high likelihood of business, in order to help Korean companies enter overseas markets and expand exports.

According to the Korea International Trade Association's "2026 Overseas Marketing Support Program Survey," which was released on September 20, the greatest challenge cited by small and medium-sized export companies was finding and securing buyers and business partners (70.3%, multiple responses). This was followed by a lack of overseas marketing and publicity capabilities (56.5%), insufficient funding and financial procurement difficulties (39.3%), and challenges in complying with overseas regulations such as certifications and customs clearance (32.5%).

This survey was conducted over a period of seven days from August 7 to August 13 and targeted 1,090 companies in the domestic trading industry. Of the respondents, 93.2% were small businesses, 5.6% were medium-sized companies, and 1.2% were large enterprises.

When asked what type of support is most needed to facilitate overseas expansion and increased exports, the most frequently cited need was the discovery and verification of promising buyers (54.3%). This was followed by establishing connections with local distributors and agents (41.2%), one-on-one consultations and matching with buyers (39.8%), and support for overseas exhibition participation (34.9%).

Korea Trade Association building. KTA.

Similarly, when asked which aspects of overseas marketing support programs require the most urgent reinforcement, the top response was again securing buyers with strong purchasing power and high business feasibility (71.2%). This underscores the urgent need for direct support in discovering, verifying, and connecting companies with buyers likely to translate into real transactions.

As for the countries companies wish to newly enter or expand exports to over the next three years, the United States ranked first (51.7%), followed by Japan (35.7%), China (26.3%), Vietnam (25.1%), the United Arab Emirates (UAE, 19.3%), Taiwan (15.9%), India (15.9%), Germany (15.3%), Singapore (15.0%), and Saudi Arabia (15.0%).

Notably, the order in which companies prioritized expansion to the UAE and Saudi Arabia was higher than their actual share in Korea's export rankings. As of the accumulated export figures from January to August 2026, the UAE and Saudi Arabia ranked 26th and 32nd among Korean export destinations, respectively. However, in terms of countries companies wish to enter, they ranked 5th and 10th. This suggests that companies see the Middle East as a promising market for export diversification.

The main achievement cited by companies that participated in KITA's support program was the discovery of new buyers (54.6%). This was followed by follow-up meetings and negotiations with buyers (27.7%), and obtaining information on overseas markets (26.1%). Over the past three years, 23.0% of participant companies discovered new potential distribution networks in their targeted countries, while 17.7% achieved actual exports to markets where they previously had no export record.

Based on the needs identified in this survey, KITA plans to enhance and improve its existing marketing support programs and develop new initiatives. Results will also be shared with local governments and export support agencies through 13 regional offices across the country, and KITA will communicate its findings to ensure that future regional export marketing support programs are tailored to local needs.

Jung Hee-chul, Head of KITA's Overseas Marketing Division, stated, "The difficulty of discovering overseas buyers remains the biggest challenge for our small exporting companies and is a key issue that export support agencies must address. KITA will continue to support companies by integrating offline touchpoints—such as exhibitions and business meetings—with online support systems like tradeKorea and the Global Matching Center, enabling companies to meet suitable buyers and achieve tangible outcomes such as export contracts."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.