Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy

Trade Minister Kim signs trade deals with five Central American counterparts

Seoul, Korea - The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced that Trade Minister Kim Hyun-chong signed free trade agreements with representatives from five Central American countries in Seoul on February 21. The five Central American ministers were El Salvadoran Economy Minister Tharsis Salomón López Guzmán, Honduran Minister of Economic Development Arnaldo Castillo, Costa Rican Minister of Foreign Trade Alexander Mora, Nicaraguan Minister of Development, Industry an date2018-02-21

Trade Minister signs Korea-Central America FTA in Seoul

Trade Minister Kim Hyun-chong (third from left) posed for a photo with ministers from five Central American countries at the signing ceremony of the Korea-Central America Free Trade Agreements (FTA) in downtown Seoul on February 21.During the ceremony, Trade Minister Kim signed free trade agreements with representatives from five Central American countries: El Salvadoran Economy Minister Tharsis Salomón López Guzmán, Honduran Minister of Economic Development Arnaldo Castillo date2018-02-21

ICT exports rise 28.1% to $17.7 billion in January

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced on February 13 that exports of information and communication technology (ICT) goods rose 28.1 percent year-on-year to USD 17.7 billion in January.Exports of ICT goods saw double-digit growth for the 14th consecutive month since December 2016, while reaching a record-high for each respective month for 12 straight months.The double-digit growth in ICT exports was led by a 53.8 percent year-on-year increase in outbound shipments of semiconductors date2018-02-21

Automobile exports post double-digit growth in January

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced on February 13 that automobile exports surged 10.4 percent to 196,835 vehicles from a year earlier in January.In terms of value, car exports grew 9 percent year-on-year to USD 3.2 billion, thanks to increased shipments to most regions, except North America and other Asian countries. This growth was supported by the growing popularity of compact sports utility vehicles (SUVs) and eco-friendly cars. The number of green vehicles shipped overseas date2018-02-19

Minister Paik convenes conference for cooperation with Saudi Arabia and UAE

Trade, Industry and Energy Minister Paik Ungyu (left) delivered opening remarks at a conference that was held to discuss the progress of economic cooperation with Saudi Arabia and the U.A.E. at the Korea Technology Center in Seoul on February 14.During the conference, Minister Paik highlighted the importance of continuous efforts in the energy and industry sectors to expand cooperation with Saudi Arabia and the U.A.E.The conference was attended by about 20 leaders in the energy, trade, and indus date2018-02-14

Industry Ministry to host world’s first robot ski tournament

Seoul, Korea - The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced on February 9 that the Ministry will host the “Edge of Robot: Ski Robot Challenge,” the world’s first robot ski tournament, at a ski resort in Hoengseong, Gangwon Province, on February 12. During the tournament, planned to be held on the sideline of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, robots will participate in a race similar to giant slalom competitions, which involve skiing between gates. The robot skiers will date2018-02-09

Minister Paik chairs meeting with semiconductor, display industry leaders

Trade, Industry and Energy Minister Paik Ungyu (center) posed for a photo with leaders from the semiconductor and display industries at a meeting in Seoul on February 8.During the meeting, Minister Paik, corporate representatives, and professors discussed strategies to promote sustainable growth and development of the semiconductor and display industries.The meeting was attended by about 30 business leaders and academics, including Samsung Electronics Memory Business President Jin Gyoyoung, SK H date2018-02-08

Minister Paik visits Vietnam for industrial cooperation

Trade, Industry and Energy Minister Paik Ungyu (second from left) shook hands with Vietnam’s Industry and Trade Minister Tran Tuan Anh (second from right) at the Korea-Vietnam Business Roundtable at a hotel in Ho Chi Minh City on February 2.After delivering his opening remarks at the meeting, Minister Paik discussed ways to support Korean companies in Vietnam and address their challenges through policies of the Korean and Vietnamese governments.The roundtable was attended by about 30 gover date2018-02-05

Korea unveils roadmap to develop future car industry

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) unveiled a roadmap for the development of the future car industry that aims to generate a new growth engine for the Korean economy at a conference in Pangyo, near Seoul, on February 2. According to the roadmap, the Korean government and private sector will cooperate on developing core technologies for autonomous vehicles and constructing smart traffic systems to introduce the infrastructure necessary for completely self-driving cars by 2022.Elec date2018-02-02

Korea, US conclude second meeting on amendments to FTA in Seoul

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) announced on February 1 that the second round of negotiations on amendments to the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA) took place in Seoul on January 31 and February 1.At the talks, the two sides had more detailed discussions on the issues raised at the first round of negotiations held in Washington D.C. on January 5, 2018. They also exchanged their views on market access and tariffs.The Korean delegation was led by Deputy Minister for F date2018-02-01