Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy

June exports inch down 0.1 percent

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced on July 1 that Korea’s exports recorded USD 51.2 billion in June, inching downward 0.1 percent year-on-year. This was due to the high base effect from the large-scale exports seen a year earlier. Average daily exports grew 6.9 percent year-on-year to $2.4 billion, achieving growth for two months in a row. Average daily exports excluding ships jumped 21.7 percent to $2.3 billion, growing for 20 straight months.    Im date2018-07-01

Minister Paik speaks at World Gas Conference

Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Paik Ungyu attended the World Gas Conference (WGC) and spoke during the closing session, in Washington D.C. on June 29.    In his key note speech at the conference, Minister Paik spoke about Korea's energy transition policies and predicted a growing dominance of gas in the future energy scene, along with renewable energy. The minister delivered his key note speech as the representative of Korea, the host country for the WGC in 2021, and as the e date2018-06-30

Minister Paik meets US House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman

Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Paik Ungyu (right) met with U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs Chairman Ed Royce to discuss trade and other related issues in Washington, D.C., on June 27.   During the meeting, the minister expressed his concerns to the U.S. lawmaker about the U.S. investigation into imported automobiles based on national security concerns, and said he hoped that the free, fair and reciprocal trade that could be achieved by the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement s date2018-06-28

Trade Minister discusses Korea-China economic cooperation with Chinese commerce minister

Trade Minister Kim Hyun-chong (left) met with Chinese Commerce Minister Zhong Shan to discuss stronger Korea-China economic cooperation and trade, in Beijing on June 27.   During the meeting, Trade Minister Kim said that deeper economic integration between Korea and China would be a practical measure to boost bilateral economic cooperation, and suggested that they discuss a further opening of the two countries’ service markets and stronger investor protection during the subsequent n date2018-06-27

Retail sales up 6.7 percent in May, led by online sales

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced on June 27 that overall retail sales in May expanded 6.7 percent from a year earlier on the back of strong online sales.   Online sales surged 17.2 percent, continuing a seven-month streak of double-digit growth.    Sales at brick-and-mortar retailers also advanced 1.2 percent year-on-year, led by sales growth at convenience stores and department stores.   All categories of retailers, except convenience stores, saw a date2018-06-27

Minister Paik underlines strategic industries at offshore wind power forum

Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Paik Ungyu emphasized the importance of developing strategic industries during a speech to representatives from the energy industry at a forum on the industrialization of offshore wind power in Seoul on June 26.Mentioning the energy transition announced last year by the Moon administration, Minister Paik said that this forum would work as an opportunity to find measures to boost the wind power industry and to foster strategic industries for a successful ene date2018-06-26

ICT exports continue to show double-digit growth in May

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced on June 18 that exports of information and communication technology (ICT) goods marked their fourth-highest monthly figure of USD 18.6 billion in May.Exports of ICT goods were up 20.6 percent compared to a year earlier, achieving double-digit year-on-year growth for the 18th consecutive month, since December 2016.ICT imports also jumped 9.0 percent year-on-year to $8.7 billion, and the trade surplus in this sector stood at $9.8 billion.The con date2018-06-18

Korea’s car exports rise in value in May, thanks to green cars, SUVs

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced on June 15 that the value of both car and car part exports saw year-on-year growth in May, while the export volume inched downward.Cars and car part exports increased in terms of dollar value by 1.9 percent to USD 3.6 billion and by 14.7 percent to $2.1 billion, respectively. One of the factors that influenced this rise is higher sales prices, as more eco-friendly cars and sport utility vehicles (SUVs) were shipped. Exports of eco-friendly car date2018-06-15

Korea, China discuss joint industrial complexes

Deputy Minister of International Trade and Legal Affairs Kim Chang-kyu (center) of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and Chinese Vice Minister of Commerce Gao Yan had the second meeting for cooperation between Korea and China on industrial complexes in Yancheng, China, on June 12.During the meeting, the two ministers agreed to start a pilot project that could create new industry clusters, and to discuss details for the Korea-China investment cooperation fund. The two governments also ag date2018-06-12

Minister Paik, Chinese commerce minister agree to strengthen bilateral ties

Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Paik Ungyu (left) met with Chinese Commerce Minister Zhong Shan to discuss measures to expand bilateral economic cooperation and trade issues, in Beijing on June 5.   During the meeting, Minister Paik called for the Chinese government’s support in resolving challenges that Korean companies face or could face while doing business in China. The minister also urged for more investments from Chinese investors into Korea, especially to the Saem date2018-06-05