Ministry of Trade Industry and Resources

Korean Companies Going Global Beyond APEC

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR, Minister JK Kim) announced that, in collaboration with the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), and other relevant organizations, it will host a series of business events during the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week, including the APEC CEO Summit, side events, and export and investment programs. Taking place from October 28 to 31, 2025, at the Gyeongju Arts Center, the CEO Summit is one of APEC’s two main cooperation platforms, serving as a bridge between policy and markets. The event will bring together heads of state from APEC member economies, global CEOs, and thought leaders to discuss key global issues such as artificial intelligence (AI) and climate change, while exploring innovative ideas and practical solutions. This year’s Summit, held under the theme “Bridge, Business, Beyond,” will feature 20 sessions covering topics such as AI and digital transformation, regional economic integration, sustainability, finance and investment, and biotechnology and health. Approximately 1,700 global business leaders are expected to participate in shaping the future of APEC. Among the speakers, President Lee Jae Myung and other APEC leaders will deliver special addresses. CEOs from major global companies—including NVIDIA, Citigroup, and Amazon Web Services (AWS)—as well as the Secretary-General of the OECD and heads of other international organizations, will also attend to share insights through presentations and discussions. APEC, with its voluntary, consensus-based decision-making structure and open, cooperative framework, has long served as an “incubator of ideas,” advancing innovative policy initiatives. Since its launch in 1996, the APEC CEO Summit has played a central role in driving these efforts. As a side event to the CEO Summit, the Future-Tech Forum (six sessions in total, October 27–28 and 30, 2025, at the Gyeongju Arts Center and Expo Park) has been specially organized this year to present a vision for the future of Korean industries and create new markets and business opportunities for Korean companies. Global industry leaders, tech companies, and renowned scholars are expected to share in-depth insights across key sectors such as AI, shipbuilding, and defense. Major sessions include the AI Forum—featuring AWS, OpenAI, and Meta—and the Shipbuilding Forum, joined by companies such as Huntington Ingalls Industries, Anduril, and Siemens, where participants will explore avenues of collaboration with Korean firms. Meanwhile, the K-Tech Showcase (October 28–31, 2025, Expo Park), featuring Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics, SK Group, and Hyundai Motor Company, will serve as a major platform to showcase the technological competitiveness of Korean companies. During the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week, MOTIR will also host related events across Korea—including Seoul and other major cities—focusing on exports, investment, and innovation. Boom-Up Korea Week (October 21–November 7, 2025, held nationwide in Seoul, Ilsan, Busan, and Daegu) will feature large-scale export consultations connecting over 1,700 international buyers with Korean companies through 28 industry exhibitions nationwide, boosting export growth for Korean businesses. The Invest KOREA Summit (October 30–31, 2025, Seoul) will include investment signing ceremonies, conferences, forums, and consultations, and is expected to generate tangible investment outcomes in advanced industries and supply chain sectors. Hosted by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, the Global Super Gap Tech Conference (October 28–29, 2025, Seoul) will support Korean deep-tech startups in developing new technology strategies, fostering their growth and accelerating their global market expansion. To maximize synergy across these events, MOTIR established an date2025-10-28

Korea and IDB Discuss Expanding Korea–Latin America Trade and Investment Cooperation

Yeo Han-koo, Trade Minister at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR), met with Anabel González, Vice President for Countries and Regional Integration at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), in Seoul on Thursday, October 23, 2025, to exchange views on the global trade environment and discuss ways to expand trade and investment cooperation between Korea and Latin America. At the meeting, Trade Minister Yeo highlighted that Latin America—with a population of approximately 690 million and a GDP of around USD 7 trillion—is a vast market with abundant natural resources such as lithium and copper. He stressed that amid the global rise of protectionism and resource nationalism, Latin America is an important partner for Korea in diversifying markets and strengthening supply chain resilience. The minister noted that expanding trade and investment between Korea and Latin America would generate mutual benefits such as greater production and trade growth. He proposed three key directions for future cooperation: (1) diversifying trade through broader economic networks, (2) expanding collaboration in critical minerals, defense, and infrastructure, and (3) promoting private-sector investment through close government-to-government dialogue and cooperation. He also requested the IDB’s advice and support to further strengthen Korea–Latin America trade and investment, given the bank’s extensive regional network and expertise. In addition, Trade Minister Yeo stated that MOTIR is currently supporting industrial technology and green energy development in several Latin American countries—including Colombia, Honduras, Paraguay, and Guatemala—through official development assistance (ODA) projects. He proposed that Korea and the IDB jointly identify and design new ODA initiatives to further advance industrial development in the region. Trade Minister Yeo emphasized that Korea, home to many globally competitive enterprises, is an ideal partner for Latin America’s economic development, and requested the IDB’s cooperation in expanding Korean companies’ participation in IDB-led projects. date2025-10-24

Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo Meets IDB Vice President

Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources met with Anabel González, Vice President for Countries and Regional Integration at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), at the Lotte Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul on Thursday, October 23, 2025, to discuss ways to expand trade and investment cooperation between Korea and Latin America. date2025-10-24

Korea’s Auto Industry Continues Growth Streak in September

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR) announced on October 20 that Korea’s automobile exports, domestic sales, and production all increased year-on-year in September, marking the third consecutive month of growth. This was partly due to more working days compared to last year, when the Chuseok holiday fell in September. Automobile exports rose 16.8 percent year-on-year to USD 6.4 billion, the highest September level on record, with cumulative exports for January–September also reaching an all-time high of $54.1 billion. Eco-friendly vehicle exports surpassed 90,000 units for the first time, with electric vehicle (EV) exports increasing 38.9 percent and maintaining growth for the fourth consecutive month. Cumulative EV exports for January–September also turned positive for the first time this year, up 0.2 percent year-on-year. Domestic automobile sales grew 20.8 percent to 158,000 units, the highest monthly total since November 2023. EV sales jumped 135 percent to a record 29,000 units, pushing cumulative EV sales for January–September to 170,000 units, up 57.5 percent year-on-year and surpassing the previous annual record for domestic EV sales. Automobile production increased 8.9 percent to 334,000 units, bringing cumulative production for the first nine months to over 3 million vehicles.   date2025-10-21

Boom-Up Korea Week 2025 Opening Ceremony

Minister for Trade Yeo Han-koo of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources attended the Boom-Up Korea Week 2025 Opening Ceremony on Tuesday, October 21, at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province.  The event was joined by KOTRA President and CEO Kang Kyung Sung, officials from related organizations, and representatives from about 4,000 promising export companies in the materials, parts, and equipment (MPE), ICT, services, and consumer goods sectors.  Minister Yeo participated in the opening performance of the event and toured the Boom-Up Week theme hall, corporate exhibition hall, and consultation hall showcasing Korea’s key export industries.   date2025-10-21

FDI Arrivals to Korea Edge Down 2% through Q3 2025

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR) announced today that foreign direct investment (FDI) pledges to Korea in the first three quarters of 2025 (cumulative, Jan–Sep) decreased 18.0 percent year-on-year to USD 20.7 billion, while FDI arrivals over the same period fell 2.0 percent to $11.3 billion. By type, greenfield investment pledges dropped 6.1 percent to $17.8 billion, while M&A pledges plunged 54.0 percent to $2.9 billion amid a global slowdown in large-scale acquisitions. In contrast, greenfield arrivals rose 23.0 percent to $8.2 billion. By region, FDI pledges from the United States surged 58.9 percent to $5.0 billion, driven by investments in chemicals, distribution, and ICT, while pledges from the EU, Japan, and China fell 36.6 percent, 22.8 percent, and 36.9 percent, respectively. By industry, manufacturing-sector pledges decreased 29.1 percent to $8.7 billion, with gains in transport machinery offset by declines in electrical and electronic components. Service-sector pledges dropped 6.9 percent to $11.1 billion, but investment in distribution and information and communications increased, supported by sustained interest in AI-related fields such as data centers, autonomous driving software, and robotics.   date2025-10-15

Korea’s ICT Exports Hit Record High in September

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources and the Ministry of Science and ICT announced on October 15 that Korea’s exports of ICT goods in September 2025 reached an all-time high of USD 25.4 billion (up 14.0 percent year-on-year), while imports rose 10.4 percent to $13.8 billion. The trade balance recorded a surplus of $11.7 billion, the second-largest on record. Despite ongoing global trade uncertainties, ICT exports reached their highest level ever, led by record-breaking semiconductor shipments for the second consecutive month, along with stronger exports of displays and communication equipment. Semiconductor exports hit a new record as memory prices continued to rise and demand for high-value products such as DDR5 and HBM remained strong. Display exports rebounded as OLED panel applications expanded in IT devices and demand recovered for mobile phones and laptops. Communication equipment exports grew on robust demand for automotive and 5G base station components in the United States and India. Meanwhile, mobile phone exports declined due to weaker component shipments, though strong finished product exports helped offset the drop. Exports of computers and peripherals also fell, affected by last year’s surge in SSD exports. By destination, exports increased to Taiwan (up 53.5 percent), Vietnam (up 20.8 percent), the EU (up 22.8 percent), Japan (up 13.0 percent), and China including Hong Kong (up 1.1 percent), driven largely by strong semiconductor shipments. Exports to the United States, however, fell 4.0 percent for the second consecutive month. ICT imports rose 10.4 percent year-on-year to $13.8 billion, with increases in displays, mobile phones, and computers/peripherals.    date2025-10-14

Korea Reappointed to ISO Technical Management Board

The Korean Agency for Technology and Standards (KATS, President Kim Dae-ja) under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources announced that Korea has been reappointed to the Technical Management Board (TMB) of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) at the 47th ISO General Assembly, held in Kigali, Rwanda, from October 6 to 10, 2025. As a result, Korea will continue serving as a TMB member through 2028, with Professor Moon Young-Jun of KAIST representing the country in shaping ISO’s technical policy decisions. The TMB is ISO’s key decision-making body that oversees the organization’s standardization activities, including the establishment and dissolution of technical committees, coordination among committees, and appointment of committee chairs. Korea’s reappointment reflects continued international recognition of its standardization capabilities. At the General Assembly, Korea also proposed establishing a new ISO technical committee on GPS-based personal location service technologies and hosted a workshop to build support among ISO member countries. Additionally, Korea signed MOUs with standardization organizations in countries such as Canada and Italy, and invited key stakeholders to attend the upcoming International AI Standards Summit scheduled for December 2025. KATS President Kim Dae-ja stated, “With this reappointment to the ISO Technical Management Board, Korea has further solidified its influence in the field of international standardization. We will continue to demonstrate leadership within ISO and strengthen our position as a trusted leader in global standardization.” date2025-10-13

Korea to Strengthen R&D Support System for Global Foreign-Invested Enterprises

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR, Minister JK Kim) announced that it held the second Korea–Global Innovation Investment Alliance on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, at the Toray Advanced Materials Korea Magok R&D Center. The meeting brought together foreign-invested enterprises (FIEs) newly joining the 2025 R&D program, along with Korean public research institutes and investment associations, to strengthen the R&D support system for FIEs. To promote R&D by FIEs in Korea, MOTIR launched the Global Industry–Technology Cooperation R&D Program in 2024 and has steadily expanded its budget (KRW 1.5 billion in 2024 → KRW 4.5 billion in 2025 → KRW 6 billion proposed for 2026). The ministry also plans to diversify the scale and types of support to improve the quality of R&D outcomes. In addition to FIEs and public institutions, the meeting included public research institutes and investment-related associations. Through additional R&D investment by FIEs (KRW 25 billion), technology development support, and investor relations (IR) activities, the Alliance will actively support SMEs participating in these projects to enter global supply chains. At the meeting, an MOU was also signed among participating FIEs, research institutes, universities, and industry partners to strengthen cooperation. Key areas include policy measures to expand investment by selected FIEs, stronger R&D collaboration with Korean research institutes, and support for IR activities by Korean SMEs. The initiative aims to encourage the inflow of leading global technologies into Korea and broaden participation in the innovation ecosystem. Yoo Beop-min, Director-General for Investment Policy at MOTIR, stated, “The government will continue to expand R&D support for foreign-invested enterprises to help Korea become a global R&D hub and to revitalize regional economies, boost domestic employment, and foster shared growth between global and Korean companies amid global supply chain restructuring.” date2025-10-02

Korea’s Exports Hit Record High in September

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR) announced on October 1 that Korea’s exports in September 2025 rose 12.7 percent year-on-year to USD 66.0 billion, while imports increased 8.2 percent to $56.4 billion. The trade balance posted a surplus of $9.6 billion, the largest in seven years since September 2018. Exports reached an all-time monthly high for the first time in three and a half years, continuing growth for the fourth consecutive month. Third-quarter exports also set a record at $185.0 billion, averaging over $60.0 billion per month. On a daily average basis, exports came to $2.8 billion, the second-highest September figure on record, reflecting the impact of more working days. By item, 10 of Korea’s 15 major export categories posted growth. Semiconductor exports jumped 22.0 percent to $16.6 billion, hitting a new record for the second straight month on strong demand for high-value memory such as HBM and DDR5. Automobile exports rose 16.8 percent to $6.4 billion, the highest ever for September, supported by robust sales of electric, hybrid, and internal combustion vehicles, as well as a sharp increase in used car exports. Ship exports grew 21.9 percent to $2.9 billion, marking seven straight months of growth. Biohealth exports also reached a record high of $1.7 billion (up 35.8 percent). By region, exports increased in eight of Korea’s nine major markets. Exports to China rose 0.5 percent to $11.7 billion, ending a four-month decline. Exports to ASEAN climbed 17.8 percent to $11.1 billion, the highest ever for September, while exports to the EU surged 19.3 percent to $7.2 billion, also a record high. Exports to the Middle East, India, Latin America, Japan, and CIS countries all posted strong growth, while exports to the United States fell 1.4 percent to $10.3 billion due to slower shipments amid tariff-related conditions. MOTIR Minister Kim Jung-kwan stated, “Korea’s exports set a new all-time record in September, a valuable achievement despite difficult conditions such as slower shipments to the U.S. amid tariff-related challenges. This demonstrates the ability of Korean companies to quickly diversify their export markets.” He added, “Facing persistent uncertainties, including ongoing tariff negotiations, the government will continue to strengthen policy support to ensure our companies sustain their export competitiveness.”   date2025-10-01