A Study on the Effectiveness of the Korean Government's Policy Intervention to Revitalize Venture Capital's Early-stage Investment

The purpose of this study is to examine how the Korean government has intervened in the venture capital market so far and empirically investigate whether the government's policies on venture capital have stimulated venture capital's early-stage investment. To this end, this study classified the government's market intervention in the venture capital market by stage by studying the related literature and applying and analyzing the case in Korea. And, this study empirically analyzed the effectiveness of the Korean government's policy to revitalize the early-stage investment of venture capital, which is the most important purpose of government intervention. For empirical analysis, yearly data from 2004 to 2018 provided by the Korea Venture Capital Association and Korea Fund of Funds were analyzed using time series statistical analysis and macrodynamics. As a result of the case study, the Korean government has intervened in the venture capital market through direct investment for 25 years, and has been intervening through indirect investment for the next 18 years. As a result of time-series statistical analysis, the government's fiscal investment to increase the formation of venture capital funds and the increase in the ratio of special-purpose funds that mandate a certain percentage of early-stage investment increased the early-stage investment of venture capital. However, macrodynamics showed a trend in the opposite direction from this time series statistical analysis from 2016. In conclusion, this study interprets the trend in the opposite direction to the time series statistical analysis results as the government's erroneous regulation on the venture capital investment method and the recent lack of effectiveness of direct intervention through the government's indirect investment method. In addition, based on the results of case studies and empirical studies, this study made six policy proposals necessary for indirect government intervention.