South Korea doubles the transaction period covered by its supplier survey

South Korea will double the transaction period covered by its annual supplier survey to a full year, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups said Sunday. The review starts October 19.

It will examine transactions made throughout 2025 by 3,000 commissioning companies and 12,000 small and medium-sized suppliers. Previous surveys concentrated on six months. The ministry said the wider period would reduce omissions in sectors such as distribution, food and construction, where business can concentrate in the second half.

The review will check payment deadlines, written agreements, price-linkage obligations and improper reductions in supplier payments. It begins with company questionnaires, followed by on-site inspections where violations are suspected. The announcement identifies no individual company as having broken the rules.