Data released by the South Korean government on Wednesday revealed that, fueled by sustained investor enthusiasm for cutting-edge technologies—such as artificial intelligence and robotics—venture capital investment in South Korean start-ups soared to a record high for the first half of the year in 2026. According to figures from South Korea's Ministry of SMEs and Startups, a total of KRW 8.87 trillion (approximately USD 6.34 billion) was channeled into promising venture firms and start-ups between January and June, representing a remarkable year-on-year increase of 54.3%. This figure surpassed the previous record of KRW 7.64 trillion set during the first half of 2022.