Ministry of Trade Industry and Resources

Vice Minister Meets China’s Vice Minister of Science and Technology

Korea’s Vice Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Lee Ho-hyeon met with China’s Vice Minister of Science and Technology Chen Jiachang on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, at BEXCO in Busan, Korea. The two sides discussed bilateral energy cooperation during the 16th Clean Energy Ministerial Meeting and the 10th Mission Innovation Ministerial Meeting held at the same venue. date2025-09-08

Vice Minister Meets Finland’s State Secretary to the Minister of Employment

Korea’s Vice Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Lee Ho-hyeon met with Finland’s State Secretary to the Minister of Employment Mika Nykänen on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, at BEXCO in Busan, Korea. The two sides discussed bilateral energy cooperation during the 16th Clean Energy Ministerial Meeting and the 10th Mission Innovation Ministerial Meeting held at the same venue. date2025-09-08

Minister Meets US Secretary of Energy

Korea’s Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Kim Jung-kwan met with US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright on Friday, August 22, 2025 at the Department of Energy headquarters in Washington, DC. The two sides discussed measures to strengthen bilateral energy cooperation ahead of the Korea-US summit. date2025-08-27

16th Clean Energy Ministerial Meeting and 10th Mission Innovation Ministerial Meeting Begin in Korea

Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) is hosting the 16th Clean Energy Ministerial Meeting (CEM16) and the 10th Mission Innovation Ministerial Meeting (MI-10) from Monday, August 25 to Wednesday, August 27 at BEXCO in Busan. As part of Energy Super Week, the meetings are being held alongside the 2025 World Climate Industry EXPO and the 15th APEC Energy Ministerial Meeting. CEM and MI are leading global platforms for public-private cooperation, bringing together stakeholders in climate and energy to discuss the expansion of clean energy and to explore collaborative measures for accelerating technological innovation. This year, the events are organized under the theme, “Energizing Cooperation for a Prosperous Future.” Nearly 1,000 participants are attending, including delegates from 41 governments and representatives from 111 international organizations. As chair of CEM16 and MI-10, Korea is leading global energy agendas to address pressing challenges in the era of climate crisis. To facilitate substantive public-private cooperation, four high-level roundtable dialogues were held with ministers, vice ministers, international business leaders, and officials from international organizations. In the Power Transformation session, ministerial and sub-ministerial officials met with global companies with strong technological capabilities in the power sector, including LS Cable & System, Hyosung Heavy Industries, and Bloom Energy. They discussed measures to expand carbon-free power generation facilities and electricity infrastructure to meet growing demand from AI, data centers, and electric vehicles, as well as strategies for innovating power systems to accelerate the transition to clean energy. The Industry Decarbonization & Energy Efficiency session explored private sector efforts to reduce emissions in hard-to-abate industries such as steel, while sharing business models and financial mechanisms to improve energy efficiency. In the Future Fuels session, government officials from countries highly interested in advancing hydrogen and other future fuels met with leading Korean companies in the hydrogen sector, such as Hyundai Motor and Kolon Industries. They reaffirmed the decarbonization potential of future fuels—including clean hydrogen, ammonia, and e-fuels—in industry and transportation and discussed strategies for expanding adoption and investment in future fuels. The Energy & AI session brought together representatives from Microsoft, Google, NVIDIA, LG Energy Solution, and Korea Electric Power Corporation with ministerial officials from participating countries. They examined the dual relationship between AI and energy—rising energy demand driven by AI and energy innovation powered by AI—and discussed prospects for mutually reinforcing development in both sectors. Power transformation and future fuels will also be key topics at the G20 Energy Transitions Working Group Ministerial Meeting in October and the 2025 United Nations Climate Change Conference in November, respectively. CEM16 and MI-10, hosted by Korea, will contribute significantly to advancing these global energy agendas. Vice Minister of MOTIE Lee Ho-hyeon stated that CEM16 and MI-10 provided valuable platforms for discussing energy transition, energy security, and energy technology innovation. He expressed hope that this year’s meetings in Korea would serve as a turning point for spreading innovative energy technologies, developing tangible solutions, and strengthening global solidarity. date2025-08-27

Energy Super Week Opens August 25 in Korea with Global Energy Leaders

Energy Super Week will run from Monday, August 25 to Friday, August 29 at BEXCO and Nurimaru Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) House in Busan, Korea. This international event brings together global energy leaders in conjunction with the 2025 World Climate Industry EXPO (WCE), the 16th Clean Energy Ministerial Meeting (CEM16), the 10th Mission Innovation Ministerial Meeting (MI-10), and the 15th APEC Energy Ministerial Meeting. The five-day event has been organized through active cooperation among Korean ministries, including the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT), and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. As chair of APEC 2025 KOREA, CEM16, and MI-10, Korea will lead discussions on advancing global energy agendas and present AI-driven strategies for energy innovation and climate action under the theme “Energy for AI & AI for Energy.” Energy Super Week will bring together 40 government delegations, officials from 65 international organizations, 1,300 prominent figures including global business executives, and representatives from 540 companies. Korea aims to leverage this opportunity to strengthen its role as a hub for international energy cooperation. 2025 WCE: Platform for AI and Energy Innovation ❶ The 2025 World Climate Industry EXPO (WCE) will be co-hosted by the Korean government, the International Energy Agency (IEA), and the World Bank (WB) from August 27 to 29 at BEXCO. Following opening remarks by Korea’s Prime Minister, leading figures in the global energy and climate sectors—including IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol and Microsoft Director of Sustainability Policy Michelle Patron—will deliver keynote addresses. This year’s expo carries added significance as WB joins as a new co-host, reinforcing global cooperation. ❷ The 2025 WCE will feature 12 global conferences, four of which are organized directly by international bodies such as IEA, WB, and the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Key agendas include energy & AI, smart energy, and low-carbon innovation strategies, with participation from major global tech companies including Microsoft, Google, NVIDIA, and General Electric. Korean ministries and organizations will also host sessions to explore climate and energy solutions in collaboration with the international community. Hosts include MOTIE, the Presidential Commission on Carbon Neutrality and Green Growth, Busan Metropolitan City, MSIT, the Korea Meteorological Administration, the Korea Forest Service, and the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry. ❸ The 2025 WCE will operate six exhibition halls showcasing nearly 540 companies, including Samsung, LG, and other major Korean corporations. Exhibits will highlight innovations across offshore wind energy, hydrogen, and carbon reduction technologies. A highlight will be the newly launched “Energy Highway” hall, where Korean power equipment companies will present next-generation power grids, high-voltage direct current transmission systems, energy storage systems, and digital power solutions. This new hall is designed as a symbolic space to communicate the new Korean administration’s visions for energy transition to the international community. ❹ Alongside the conferences and exhibitions, visitors can take part in a job fair and global networking program featuring 45 Korean public energy corporations, Germany’s RWE, the Global Green Growth Institute, and WB. Their participation is expected to generate new job opportunities and expand international cooperation. To further enrich the event, experiential programs will include a talk concert by a science YouTuber on August 28, an AI-based photography experience, and a drone light show at Gwangalli Beach on August 27. APEC Energy Ministerial Meeting: Advancing Global Policymaking and Cooperation Ministerial meetings will date2025-08-26

Minister Meets TerraPower Chairman Bill Gates

Korea’s Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Kim Jung-kwan met with TerraPower Chairman Bill Gates on Friday, August 22, 2025, at Conrad Seoul to discuss energy cooperation between TerraPower and Korean companies. date2025-08-22

Minister Meets U.S. Secretary of Energy

Korea’s Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Kim Jung-kwan met with U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright on July 23 (local time) in Washington, D.C. to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the energy sector. date2025-07-28

MOTIE and Hyundai Motor Group Sign MOU

Trade, Industry and Energy Vice Minister Lee Hohyeon attended the signing ceremony for a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)  between the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) and Hyundai Motor Group on July 22 at Hyundai Motorstudio Goyang in Gyeonggi Province. The event was organized to establish cooperation for providing eco-friendly vehicles, including hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) and electric vehicles (EVs), during Energy Super Week.  Before the ceremony, Vice Minister  Lee toured the exhibition space inside the studio. Through this MOU, MOTIE and Hyundai Motor Group will support the provision of eco-friendly vehicles for ministerial-level delegates, representatives, and international organizations participating in the APEC Energy Ministerial Meeting . Attendees included officials from MOTIE and Hyundai Motor Group, among them Dongwook Kim, Executive Vice President  of Hyundai Motor Company.  date2025-07-23

Korea and Cambodia Launch First Article 6.2 Climate Project

Korea has officially launched its first carbon mitigation project under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement, in partnership with the Kingdom of Cambodia. The landmark authorization — granted by the Cambodian government on July 18 and commemorated at an official ceremony on July 21 in Phnom Penh — marks a major milestone in Korea’s global climate action and bilateral cooperation efforts. The approved project, led by Korean private company VeryWords, aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Cambodia’s transport sector through the deployment of electric motorcycles and the development of supporting charging infrastructure over a ten-year period (2025–2034).The project is expected to reduce 680,000 tCO2eq, of which 400,000 tons will be transferred to Korea and counted toward its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). “This is the first approved outcome of Korea’s investment support program, launched in 2023, which provides upfront financing to Korean companies and recovers the investment later in the form of carbon credits,” said a MOTIE representative.   Article 6.2 in Action: From Framework to Implementation   The Ministry of Environment of Cambodia issued a Letter of Authorization (LOA) under its national Article 6 governance framework, officially enabling the project to commence operations in accordance with Cambodia’s rules and procedures. The issuance of the LOA was made possible through the efforts of a working group comprising the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) of Korea, the Ministry of Environment of Cambodia, and the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI). On the Korean side, KOTRA and the Korea Energy Agency (KEA) participated as working group members. The group jointly reviewed key project elements — including the methodology, total emission reductions, and allocation ratios — which laid the foundation for the official authorization.   Advancing Structural Cooperation Through High-Level Dialogue   Building on this achievement, Korea and Cambodia are now working to expand cooperation beyond individual projects. On July 21–22, high-level bilateral meetings and an International Mitigation Forum were held in Phnom Penh to explore future collaboration in the transport sector. MOTIE held bilateral meetings with the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MPWT) and the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) of Cambodia, with a focus on establishing government-to-government partnerships in the transport sector.  The forum also brought together key stakeholders from government, industry, and international organizations to discuss future mitigation projects and ways to align carbon market strategies. “This project reflects the growing maturity of bilateral cooperation under Article 6.2,” said the MOTIE official. “By aligning policy leadership from Cambodia with Korea’s technology and investment, we are laying the groundwork for scalable, long-term climate partnerships that go beyond individual projects.” date2025-07-21

MOTIE Holds Energy Super Week Briefing for Foreign Embassies in Korea

Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) held a briefing for foreign embassies in Korea on the upcoming Energy Super Week (Aug. 25–29) today in Seoul outlining the event’s main programs and the newly elected administration’s energy policy directions, requesting the foreign embassies’ interest and support. The briefing was attended by 43 foreign embassies in Korea including those of Japan, the EU, the UK, and Vietnam. Four major events are lined up for Energy Super Week in Busan: the APEC Energy Ministerial Meeting (Aug. 27–28), 16th Clean Energy Ministerial (Aug. 25–27), 10th Mission Innovation (MI) Ministerial (Aug. 25–27), and 2025 World Climate Industry EXPO (Aug. 27–29). Energy ministers, government delegations, and business leaders of 40 member economies, as well as relevant international organizations, will be gathering to discuss future energy outlooks and solutions. The APEC Energy Ministerial Meeting will cover key agendas such as power grid infrastructure, energy security, stable power supply, and AI-powered energy innovation. At the 16th Clean Energy Ministerial and the 10th Mission Innovation Ministerial, participants will discuss issues like energy efficiency, power transition, future fuels (hydrogen), energy and AI, and carbon reduction technologies.  Near the end of August, MOTIE will co-host 2025 World Climate Industry EXPO with the International Energy Agency (IEA) and World Bank (WB) on the theme of “Energy for AI & AI for Energy,” featuring speakers like IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol and WB Vice President Manuela Ferro. The program consists of three major summits — the Global Leadership Summit, the Energy & AI Summit, and the Climate Summit — alongside 12 specialized conferences and sideline events, including recruitment sessions and trade consultations. Visitors can also experience the latest and future technologies in areas of climate and energy at various booths set up by Samsung, LG, Doosan Enerbility, Hanwha Qcells, and other global companies.   date2025-07-08