Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy

Minister for Trade, Industry and Energy Dukgeun Ahn of the Republic of Korea met Dutch Minister of Economic Affairs Dirk Beljaarts today in Seoul for discussions on measures to strengthen Korea-Netherlands industrial cooperation.

Among EU member states, the Netherlands is Korea’s second largest trading partner (USD 15.0 billion as of 2024) and biggest investor ($39.9 billion in accumulated pledges for 2024 as of September), with the two countries’ businesses vigorously engaged in collaboration in cutting-edge industries like semiconductors and batteries.

During today’s talks, the two sides covered agenda items such as bilateral cooperation, economic security, supply chains, and semiconductors, sharing their industrial policy trends and cooperation progress. Noting the active Korea-Netherlands joint R&D cooperation in information and communications technology (ICT) and bio, Minister Ahn expressed anticipation for wider technology collaboration with continued in-depth consultations through the bilateral Joint Innovation Committee established between Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) and the Netherlands’ Ministry of Economic Affairs.

The minister further highlighted the need for continued intergovernmental cooperation in export controls and supply chains, and both sides agreed that economic security is a shared key issue as uncertainties are intensifying across the global trade landscape. Highly appraising the smooth progress of the bilateral semiconductor dialogue, Future Chips Academy, and other joint projects in the semiconductor field following the forging of the Korea-Netherlands Semiconductor Alliance in December 2023, Minister Ahn underscored the importance of close bilateral cooperation amid growing uncertainties in the global chip supply chain.