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Research and development service businesses assist in outsourcing of R&D. They are classified into research and development businesses, that conduct profit-making R&D independently or by entrustment, and research and development support businesses, that support R&D activities.
Research and development service providers that report and register to the Korea R&D Service Industry Association (substitutional agency of the Ministry of Science and ICT) are eligible to participate in national R&D projects and receive support from the government.
※ Current status: 821 research and development businesses, 710 research and development support businesses (as of August 2019)
※ Related law: Articles 2 and 25 of the Special Act on Support of Science and Engineers for Strengthening National Science and Technology Competitiveness
Research and Development Service Businesses : Category,Content,Eligible Businesses
Category
Content
Eligible Businesses
Research and development business
Businesses that conduct some or all R&D activities for companies that are unable to meet their own R&D demands (entrustment), or businesses that independently develop and supply technologies required by the market
Physics, chemistry, and biology
Agriculture
Engineering and technology
Other natural sciences
Convergence fields related to science and engineering
Research and development support business
Businesses that support R&D activities, such as R&D consulting, R&D planning and evaluation, leasing and transactions of research equipment, technology management and strategy, analysis on science and technology information and the securing and suggesting of personnel to do such tasks
R&D consulting
Technology market research
Patent administration and agency
Investment and financing for technology development, mediation and agency of technology and trading
Material component inspection
Structure and product inspection
R&D product design
Researcher recommendation, education, and training
Convergence fields related to science and engineering
※ Source: Korea R&D Service Industry Association (R&D Service Business Registration and Support System)
Notification
Research and development service businesses that meet certain qualifications are eligible to receive a certificate after completing an online application to the Korea R&D Service Industry Association and having documents and sites evaluated.
Procedures
sumit document - online (request for additional)
review document - KORSIA
evaluate sites - KORSIA/APPLICANT
approve - KORSIA
issue a certificate - online
- Processing period : Processing is completed within 30 days from the date of application. Time taken by applicants to correct incomplete applications and submit missing documents is not included in the processing period.
Contact (application for research and development service businesse)
Korea R&D Service Industry Association
TEL : 02-540-4172
FAX : 02-540-4132
E-mail : korsia@rndservice.or.kr
Hompage : www.rndservice.or.kr
Requirements for Approval
Research and development service businesses must satisfy all HR, physical, and sales requirements to qualify.
Requirements for Approval : Category,Research and development service,Research and development support service
Category
Research and development service
Research and development support service
HR requirements
At least 5 researchers who majored in natural sciences or engineering
At least 2 researchers who majored in natural sciences or engineering
Physical requirements
Independent research facility
N/A
Sales requirements
R&D services account for at least 50% of total sales
-
Support Provided
Companies registered as research and development service businesses are eligible to participate in national R&D projects, and receive support for researchers, taxation, and funding, etc.
HR Support
HR Support : Support Provided,Content,Contact
Support Provided
Content
Contact
Selection of designated entities for recruiting expert research personnel (special cases for military service)
Articles 36 and 39 of the Military Service Act
KOITA 02-3460-9124
※ Applications for selection of designated entities for recruiting expert research personnel (special cases for military service) must be submitted to the Korea Industrial Technology Association.
Eligible Businesses
Eligible Businesses : Ministry of Science and Technology,Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy,Ministry of SMEs and Startups,Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport,Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
Ministry of Science and Technology
Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy
Ministry of SMEs and Startups
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport
Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
Basic research
Space technology development
Nuclear
Nuclear fusion · accelerator
Information, telecommunication, and broadcasting
Industrial technology development
Energy technology development
Technology transfer and commercialization
Electric power industry related technology development
Cooperative utilization of research equipment
Technology innovation development for SMEs
Hybrid technology development for SMEs
Technology commercialization for SMEs
ESP (technology specialists)
Construction technology
Plants
National territory information
Railway technology
Aviation safety
Livestock disease response technology
High value-added food technology development
Agricultural science industrial technology
High-tech production technology development
Post-genome ethical, legal, and social implications
※ Appropriation of labor costs in cash for research and development service businesses: If a research and development service business participates in national R&D projects, the labor costs for R&D are appropriated in cash.
Financial Support
Financial Support : Support,Content
Support
Content
Technology certificate system
Conduct reviews on SME technologies and obtain certification from the Korea Technology Finance Corporation to receive financial support from financial institutions
Technology evaluation system
Evaluate technicality, feasibility, and marketability of intangible technologies to display the value, grade, score, and opinion
Contact
Korea Technology Finance Corporation : 1544-1220
Tax Support
Tax Support : Support Provided,Content
Support Provided
Content
Tax reductions or exemptions for small- and medium-sized startups, etc.
Income tax or corporate tax reduced or exempted for designated SMEs, and research and development service businesses identified as operators at startup incubating centers outside overconcentration control regions
Special cases for SMEs
Income tax or corporate tax reduced or exempted for SMES, depending on size and location
Tax deductions for R&D costs
A certain percentage of R&D costs incurred by companies deducted from corporate tax or income tax
Tax reductions or exemptions related to investment in facilities concerning research and human resource development
A certain percentage of investment in facilities for research and human resource development by Koreans or commercialization of new growth engine industries deducted from corporate tax or income tax
Tax deductions for technology transfer and acquisition
If the patent rights, utility model rights, confidential technologies, or technologies are transferred to and acquired by a Korean national, a certain percentage of acquisition costs are deducted from income tax or corporate tax of the year.
Special tax reductions or exemptions for SMEs
Income tax or corporate tax reduced or exempted for SMEs
Special cases of taxation on R&D related contributions, etc.
The equivalent amount of contributions for R&D excluded from gross income
Tax reductions or exemptions for high-tech companies in special R&D zones
Income tax (corporate tax) reduced or exempted for high-tech or small-sized research companies located in special R&D zones that are engaged in projects subject to reductions or exemptions
Procedures
Notification of research and development service businesses is only available online. Additional documents may be requested following initial reviews of documents and sites.