Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy

Korea and Angola hold Business Forum

Minister for Trade Inkyo Cheong attended the Korea-Angola Business Forum, co-hosted by Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) and the Angolan government, on April 29 in Seoul on the occasion of Angola’s President João Lourenço’s state visit, and held extensive bilateral discussions on cooperation in trade, investment, renewable energy, shipbuilding, and offshore plant projects.   The forum was attended by approximately 180 representatives of both countries’ governments, institutions, and companies, including the Sonangol Group and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries.   In his opening address, Trade Minister Cheong extended gratitude towards President Lourenço’s interest in pursuing economic cooperation with Korea and stated that the Korean government will likewise provide full support to expand bilateral cooperation in manufacturing, renewable energy, and other areas, based on the initial collaboration centering on energy, shipbuilding, and offshore plant.   Moreover, the trade promotion institutions of both countries, namely Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) and Agency for Private Investment and Promotion of Exports of Angola (AIPEX), entered a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on establishing the basis for supporting the two countries’ business exchanges, including partner matchings and exchange of trade and investment information. Accordingly, KOTRA plans to set up a Korea promotion exhibition booth in the international symposium to be held in Luanda, Angola, in July as part of pushing forward projects for promoting bilateral trade. date2024-04-30

Korea and Oman to resume bilateral Economic Cooperation Committee after 8-year hiatus

Minister for Trade Inkyo Cheong met Chairman of the Oman Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones (OPAZ) Ali Masoud Al Sunaidy on April 29 in Seoul to discuss the resumption of the two countries’ bilateral Economic Cooperation Committee.   The sixth Korea-Oman Economic Cooperation Committee meeting had originally been slated for 2019 in Muscat, Oman, but was put on pause by the pandemic outbreak.   The resumption discussion was proposed by Chairman Al Sunaidy, noting Oman’s push for industrial diversification and focused investment on new renewable energy areas. Trade Minister Cheong replied that he looks forward to discussing measures for deepening the two countries’ investment, joint project discovery, and other economic collaborations through the Economic Cooperation Committee in the near future. date2024-04-30

Minister attends WEF’s Special Meeting in Riyadh

Trade, Industry and Energy Minister Dukgeun Ahn attended the World Economic Forum (WEF)’s Special Meeting on Global Collaboration, Growth and Energy for Development on April 28 (local time) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as the representative of the Korean government.   The Special Meeting on Global Collaboration, Growth and Energy for Development drew over 1,000 renowned figures to 90 sessions on global cooperation, inclusive growth, and energy to discuss various related global issues and seek solutions, touching on topics like the global economy, energy transition, and Middle East tensions.   Minister Ahn attended the panel discussion titled “What Homeland Economics Means for Trade” and the informal meeting of global economic leaders (IGWEL).   In the first session, the minister assessed the trade environment in terms of global geopolitical risks and protectionism trends and articulated measures for security and growth through the restoration of multilateralism and invigoration of trade and investment. He highlighted that Korea is prepared to share its experience of achieving growth through trade and opening up of markets in contributing to establishing a fairer and more inclusive global economic order.   In the informal gathering of world economic leaders, he exchanged views on pending global economic issues with chiefs of international organizations, CEOs, other country’s top-ranking figures in a more casual atmosphere.   On the margins of the meetings, Minister Ahn is also holding in-depth bilateral talks with counterparts of other countries to discuss measures for stronger economic collaboration with regard to energy, industries, and investment. date2024-04-29

Korea's exports maintaining upward trajectory across major markets

Minister for Trade Inkyo Cheong held the fourth exports promotion meeting with officials in charge of major destinations on April 26 at K-SURE in Seoul to review export conditions per region and discuss tailored export strategies.   In the first quarter of 2024, exports to chief destinations like the U.S. (up 15.5 percent year-on-year), China (up 4.3 percent), ASEAN (up 1.8 percent), and Latin America (up 21.6 percent) increased, recording an 8.3 percent growth to USD 163.8 billion.   To the U.S., automobiles (up 24.2 percent), general machinery (up 50.8 percent), and semiconductors (up 188.3 percent) enjoyed strong growth throughout the first quarter, surpassing all-time highs for the period.   As for China, its information technology (IT) industry rebound led to heightened demand for semiconductors (up 36.3 percent) and displays (up 26.2 percent).   To ASEAN, semiconductors (up 16.5 percent), petrochemicals (up 13.8 percent), and wireless communication devices (up 11.9 percent) led the overall growth.   Exports to Latin America posted the highest growth among all major destinations on the backs of robust demand for general machinery (up 20.1 percent) and petroleum products (up 68.6 percent).   With exports to major destinations like U.S., China, and ASEAN keeping up the growth pace in April, Trade Minister Cheong articulated expectations of exports and trade surplus advancing for the seventh and 11th consecutive month, respectively. “Thorough efforts will be made in expanding the trade network for emerging markets and responding to trade risks from Middle East tensions so that the present upward trajectory can maintain until the year end,” he said. date2024-04-29

Korea, U.S., and Japan to deepen cooperation on export controls and technology protection

Korea, the U.S., and Japan held a joint Disruptive Technology Protection Network Summit on April 25 (ET) in Washington D.C., U.S.   The Korean delegation, composed of representatives of the Office of the President, MOTIE, Ministry of Justice (MOJ), Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), and Korea Customs Service (KCS), was joined by the U.S.’ Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Commerce (DOC), and Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) and National Police Agency (NPA).   Part of a follow-up measure to the Spirit of Camp David adopted at the trilateral summit held August 2023, the Summit is anticipated to augment the three countries’ cooperation in technology protection, export control implementation and related information sharing, exchange of success cases, and disruptive technology protection.   The Summit was chaired by Assistant Attorney General Matt Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division and Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matt Axelrod of the Commerce Department, the co-leaders of the U.S.’ Disruptive Technology Strike Force.   During the trilateral talks, the three countries shared the view that violation of export controls undermines national security. Korea’s MOJ, U.S. DOC, and Japan’s NPA signed a letter of intent (LOI) on deepening information sharing for tech leak law enforcement, while MOTIE also signed a LOI with the U.S. DOC and Japan’s METI for cooperation on export control implementation. date2024-04-26

Government and academia leaders discuss Korean youth's stronger WTO internship participation

Minister for Trade Inkyo Cheong held a conference on April 25 with the presidents of nine domestic universities’ graduate schools of international studies and discussed measures for increasing internship opportunities for young Korean talent at the World Trade Organization (WTO).   At the conference, government officials and academic leaders discussed ways to enable Korean youth’s stronger participation in WTO internship programs, including recommending outstanding students taking master’s and doctoral courses, considering alternative credit incentives for the selected student, and providing government support for living and flight expenses.   Noting the relatively low number of Korean students with career experience as WTO employee or intern despite the country ranking sixth in terms of global trade as of 2022, President Yoon Suk Yeol requested that the WTO increase internship participation opportunities for Korean students during bilateral talks with WTO Director General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala in May 2023.   Trade Minister Cheong said that WTO work experience for Korean youth is key to enlarging Korea’s role within WTO and in training proficient trade experts, adding that efforts will be made to help Korea’s young talent to accumulate practical work experience and competitiveness through WTO internship programs and gain broader opportunities of working at international organizations. date2024-04-26

Korea discusses stronger bilateral industrial cooperation with the Netherlands and Poland

Deputy Minister for Trade Yang Byeong-nae met with the Netherlands’ Infrastructure and Water Management Vice Minister Kees Van der Burg on April 25 in Seoul and discussed measures for strengthening bilateral cooperation in mobility, battery, and supply chains.   The two sides assessed that follow-up implementation to the MOUs signed on the occasion of the bilateral summit in December 2023 for cooperation in semiconductors, supply chains, and carbon-free energy is making smooth progress, and agreed to expand the scope of cooperation to other new advanced industries like EVs, hydrogen cars and battery.   Underscoring that their bilateral cooperation in advanced industries contributes to stabilizing the global supply chain, Deputy Trade Minister Yang asked for the Netherlands’ cooperation concerning the EU’s Critical Raw Materials Act and Battery Regulation to prevent them posing administrative burden on or discriminating external suppliers, thereby impacting Korea-Netherlands trade and investment as well.   He then met with Poland’s Economic Development and Technology Deputy Minister Jacek Tomczak and discussed measures for bolstering cooperation in trade, investment, industrial technology, and clean energy. Noting the all-time high Korea-Poland trade of USD 10.1 billion last year and recently increasing bilateral cooperation in battery, nuclear, and defense, Deputy Trade Minister Yang suggested that they build on this momentum to expand the scope of bilateral trade and investment even wider.   He also requested Poland’s interest and participation in the Carbon Free Energy (CFE) Initiative in view of the two countries’ expanding industrial technology collaboration through Eureka and joint research in nuclear and energy technologies. date2024-04-26

Trade Minister and Egypt's SCA Chairman discuss green logistics cooperation

Minister for Trade Inkyo Cheong met Egypt’s Suez Canal Authority (SCA) Chairman and Managing Director Osama Rabie on April 25 at the Lotte Hotel Seoul and discussed measures for strengthening bilateral cooperation in offshore logistics and Egypt’s “Green Canal 2030.”   Trade Minister Cheong stated that the project for establishing green energy infrastructure for the Suez Canal is underway through industrial and energy official development assistance (ODA) by Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology (KIAT) for backing the Green Canal 2030 strategy by assisting ships’ low carbon transition and reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs).   SCA Chairman Rabie noted that Korea’s contribution to the Suez Canal development has been substantial, particularly with respect to technology talent training, and expressed hopes of deepening bilateral cooperation in nurturing Egypt’s shipbuilding, port, and marine industries on this occasion.   Mentioning the Korea-Africa Summit 2024 slated for June this year in Seoul, Korea’s trade chief asked for Egypt’s active participation and cooperation in the related business summit event, and requested support for emergency situations and safe passing of Korean ships that need to inevitably transit the Suez Canal. date2024-04-25