Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy

Korea's retail industry grows 6.3% in 2023

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) announced on January 30 that Korea’s annual retail sales for 2023 advanced 6.3 percent year-on-year. All offline channels (up 3.7 percent), including hypermarkets, department stores, convenience stores and super supermarket (SSM) operators, showed growth in 2023. Online retail sales rose 9.0 percent amid widening age range of consumers. For the month of December, offline sales achieved a 4.5 percent growth year-on-year despite December 2 date2024-01-31

Minister Ahn chairs discussions on regulatory innovation for green mobility

Trade, Industry and Energy Minister Dukgeun Ahn announced eco-friendly mobility regulatory innovation measures on January 30 at LG Science Park together with other relevant ministries and held a meeting to discuss the automotive industry’s major issues and strategic export measures. The meeting was attended by representatives of the industry’s relevant companies and institutions, including Korea Association of Autonomous Mobility Industry (KAAMI), Hyundai Motor, GM Korea and Renault date2024-01-30

Korea aiming to enlarge future green mobility pie by removing "killer" regulations

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) announced the eco-friendly mobility regulatory innovation measures on January 30 at LG Science Park together with other relevant ministries and held a meeting to discuss the automotive industry’s major issues and strategic export measures. As technological breakthroughs like autonomous self-driving and AI, software and advanced automotive parts of future mobility are converging and the competition for global dominance is intensifying, the date2024-01-30

Korea and India hold 10th official negotiating round for upgrading bilateral CEPA

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) announced on January 30 that the 10th official negotiating round for upgrading the Korea-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) is to be held through January 30-31 in New Delhi, India. Numbering 60 persons in total, the Korean and Indian delegations are led by Director General for FTA Policy Ahn Chang-yong and the Indian Commerce Department’s Additional Secretary Anant Swarup, respectively. The first official round to date2024-01-30

Vice Minister Kang holds press briefing on CFE Initiative

Trade, Industry and Energy Vice Minister Kang Kyungsung held a press briefing on the Carbon-Free Energy (CFE) Initiative and future plans on January 29 at the Government Complex Sejong and led the following Q&A session. date2024-01-30

CF Alliance to push the use of all carbon-free energy sources for carbon neutrality

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) announced on January 29 that Dr. Hoesung Lee, former Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and incumbent Carbon Free (CF) Alliance Chairman, led a press briefing and conference to introduce the outcomes gained from over the last three months since the launch of the CF Alliance in October last year, which include a score of bilateral and multilateral exchanges, as well as support towards the Carbon-Free Energy (CFE) Initia date2024-01-29

MOTIE and KPX lay out blueprint for Korea's electricity market

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) hosted a briefing session focusing on measures to improve Korea’s electricity market in 2024 on January 26 at COEX in Seoul, organized by Korea Power Exchange (KPX). The briefing was attended by approximately 150 persons from electric power industries, the academia and related institutions. The briefing aimed at covering the latest market trends, forecasting future changes, introducing improvement directions and other issues for the elect date2024-01-29

Korea and China to launch joint research project for improving bilateral FTA implementation

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) announced on January 24 that research institutes of Korea and China are to launch a joint research project for improving the implementation of the Korea-China Free Trade Agreement (FTA). During the fifth Korea-China FTA Joint Committee meeting held on December 4 in 2023 in Beijing, the two countries’ chief delegates agreed to launch a joint research program for improving the implementation of the bilateral FTA in 2025, the year marking th date2024-01-24

Korea and UK hold first official negotiating round for upgrading bilateral FTA

Trade Minister Inkyo Cheong attended the first official negotiating round for the upgrade of the Korea-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on January 23 at Lotte Hotel Seoul. The trade minister stated that “the global trade order is changing more rapidly than ever, with the worldwide rise of protectionism and swift realignment of the global supply chain,” and asked both delegations to “jointly respond to internal and external uncertainties, while making sure to place the utmost prio date2024-01-23

Korea and UK hold first official negotiating round for upgrading bilateral FTA

Director General for FTA Policy Ahn Chang-yong at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) is heading the Korean delegation in the first round of official negotiations on upgrading the Korea-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to be held through January 23-25 in Seoul. The UK delegation is led by Adam Fenn, Chief Negotiator at the UK's Department for Business and Trade. The existing Korea-UK FTA is the first FTA sealed with Asia by the UK in proceeding with Brexit and is assessed to have dr date2024-01-23