In South Korea, businesses register as vendors in the national e-procurement system (KONEPS / Narajangteo) to participate in government and public-sector bidding.
Who can register as a vendor?
In general, any business that intends to bid on public procurement opportunities can apply for vendor/bidder registration. As part of registration, PPS guidance indicates that applicants submit basic documentation (e.g., a business registration certificate and, where applicable, a corporate registration certificate). PPS may also conduct due diligence checks and/or a credit inquiry for companies applying for registration and/or for a relevant bid.
What does the registration indicate about the business?
- Public procurement intent and eligibility: The business has taken formal steps to participate in government/public bids via the national procurement system.
- Baseline verification signals: Registration is associated with document submission and may include checks such as business stability and representative/CEO eligibility, depending on the registration and bid requirements.
- Financial/credit readiness (tender-dependent): Many procurement processes evaluate bidders’ financial and credit standing; for example, bid documents may require a credit rating confirmation certificate as part of business-condition evaluation.
- Stronger signal when combined with awards/contracts: KONEPS enables disclosure of tender notices, bidding results, and award/contract information—so outcomes (and related values, where provided in those disclosures/datasets) can be used as an additional signal of real procurement track record beyond registration alone.
Note: Vendor registration alone indicates procurement participation readiness; it does not confirm that the business has won contracts.
Coverage in KOBDi: The KOBDi database includes Korean businesses that appear in PPS/Narajangteo vendor registration records. This information can be displayed on relevant Business Profiles and used as a discovery signal alongside other KOBDi data (e.g., HR, licenses, certifications, and financials). PPS registration can also be found via the KOBDi Korea Industry Search.