SME Minister Visits Kolmar Korea Amid Rising K-Beauty Exports
South Korea's Minister of SMEs and Startups visited Kolmar Korea's Sejong plant to discuss supporting K-beauty brands, as the nation's cosmetics exports reached $7.34 billion in the first half of 2026.
Ministerial Visit to Support K-Beauty Brands
Lee So-young, South Korea's Minister of SMEs and Startups, visited Kolmar Korea's cosmetics manufacturing facility in Sejong on Friday, 16 October 2026. Kolmar Korea announced on Sunday, 18 October 2026, that the visit focused on strategies to help small and independent K-beauty brands expand their presence in international markets.
This initiative comes as global demand for Korean skincare products continues to grow. During her tour, Minister Lee met with Kolmar Korea executives and ministry officials to discuss challenges facing the industry and measures to enhance the competitiveness of Korean cosmetics manufacturers.
Strong Export Performance for Korean Cosmetics
The ministerial visit occurs amid record export figures for K-beauty. South Korea's total cosmetics exports, encompassing shipments from both large companies and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), amounted to approximately $7.34 billion in the first half of 2026. Skincare products were a significant driver, accounting for $5.48 billion, or 74.7 percent, of the total.
SMEs alone exported $5.07 billion worth of cosmetics during this period, marking a 30.7 percent increase from the previous year. This performance established cosmetics as the country's largest export category for SMEs.
Kolmar Korea's Manufacturing and Expansion Plans
As Korea's first cosmetics original design manufacturer (ODM), Kolmar Korea provides product development, manufacturing, and quality control services, enabling smaller beauty brands to expand globally without needing their own factories. The company specializes in skincare and sun-care products, which contribute 50 percent and 26 percent of its sales, respectively.
Its Sejong plant, a primary production base for these categories, has an annual capacity of 890 million cosmetic units. To meet rising global demand, Kolmar Korea plans to increase production at this facility. Earlier this year, the company closed its Beijing factory and was designated a reshoring company, committing to strengthen its manufacturing operations within Korea.
Implications for K-Beauty Brand Founders
The government's direct engagement, as shown by Minister Lee's visit, signals sustained support for K-beauty brands aiming for international growth. Kolmar Korea CEO Choi Hyun-kyu stated the company's commitment to assisting small and independent brands in strengthening their overseas market competitiveness and supporting K-beauty's overall expansion.
For brand founders and sourcing managers, Kolmar Korea's expanded domestic production capacity and ODM services offer a clear path to scale manufacturing for popular skincare and sun-care lines, particularly given the strong export performance of Korean SMEs in cosmetics.
This environment suggests a robust ecosystem for brands planning global market entry or expansion through Korean manufacturing partners.
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