Ministry of Trade Industry and Resources

Korea and ASEAN Hold Second Official Round of FTA Upgrade Negotiations

Korea and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will hold the second official round of negotiations to upgrade the Korea–ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in Singapore from September 28 to October 1, 2026. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR, Minister JK Kim) said government delegations from both sides will attend the talks, with Park Geun-oh, Director General for Trade Agreement Policy at MOTIR, and Alpana Roy, Director-General at Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry, serving as the chief negotiators for Korea and ASEAN, respectively. Nearly 20 years after the Agreement on Trade in Goods took effect in 2007, Korea and ASEAN are pursuing a full-scale upgrade of the FTA to reflect changes in the trade environment and make the agreement more effective. After formally announcing the launch of upgrade negotiations at the Korea–ASEAN Summit in October 2025, the two sides held the first round in June 2026. Beginning with this second round, the two sides will move into substantive negotiations on rules across specific areas. In the second round, the two sides will focus on improving rules across 13 negotiating areas, including critical minerals and supply chains, digital trade, intellectual property rights, and origin procedures. In particular, they aim to introduce up-to-date trade rules that set a higher standard than those in existing agreements, including the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), to which both sides are parties. Through these negotiations, the two sides plan to reduce regulatory uncertainty in digital trade and support its expansion. On critical minerals and supply chains, they plan to strengthen the foundation for cooperation to build stable regional supply chains. They will also discuss introducing rules to strengthen protection for Korean companies’ intellectual property, including K-content. “ASEAN, where the transition to a digital economy and the restructuring of supply chains are advancing rapidly, is a key economic partner for Korea,” said Director General Park. “Through these negotiations, we will make every effort to incorporate up-to-date rules that reflect the changing trade environment, including in digital trade, and strengthen supply chain cooperation in areas such as critical minerals, thereby building the institutional foundation for Korean companies to expand their business opportunities in ASEAN markets.” date2026-09-28

MOTIR Seeks to Ease Burdens on Korean Companies and Expand Opportunities for Cooperation under New EU Trade Rules

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR, Minister JK Kim) sent a delegation led by Kim Jang-hee, Director General for Emerging Trade Strategy and Policy, to Brussels, Belgium, from September 16 to 18, 2026. The delegation held a series of meetings with Executive Vice-President Stéphane Séjourné’s Cabinet and the European Commission’s Directorates-General for Justice and Consumers (DG JUST), Taxation and Customs Union (DG TAXUD), Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW), and Trade and Economic Security (DG TRADE). The delegation discussed major EU regulatory issues affecting Korean companies’ activities, including the Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA), Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), and Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). The visit was a follow-up to the high-level meeting between Minister Kim and Executive Vice-President Séjourné on September 9. It was intended to directly convey Korean companies’ concerns and views as the EU develops major regulatory legislation and detailed implementation rules, and to help prevent unreasonable burdens on Korean companies when the measures are implemented. MOTIR first met with Dragoş Tudorache, Diplomatic Advisor in Executive Vice-President Séjourné’s Cabinet, and Valère Moutarlier, Deputy Director-General at DG GROW. The ministry emphasized that the IAA should be designed to take account of cooperation with trusted partners such as Korea, whose companies have invested in the EU over many years and contributed to local employment, production, and supply chains. It also set out Korea’s position that the principle of equivalent treatment for partner countries should be applied predictably and consistently across the framework, including in automobiles, steel, and nuclear power. In a meeting with Andreas Stein, Director for Justice Policies at DG JUST, MOTIR referred to the government position paper on the CSDDD submitted in July and asked that Korean industry’s views on improving clarity and implementation feasibility be fully reflected in forthcoming guidelines. As the EU develops detailed guidance on implementing the CSDDD, MOTIR also proposed a standing Korea–EU consultation channel for the two sides to continue discussing how to interpret the CSDDD and the difficulties companies face in complying with it. On the CBAM, MOTIR met with Gerassimos Thomas, Director-General of DG TAXUD, and asked the EU to minimize any unnecessary costs and administrative burdens that Korean companies may face during implementation of the mechanism, including those related to third-party verification and the extension to downstream products. In particular, for downstream products with complex supply chains, MOTIR stressed that the EU should fully consider whether companies can realistically comply when deciding the scope of products covered by the expansion and the specific timing of implementation. Beyond regulatory issues, MOTIR also discussed expanding cooperation on emerging trade areas, including digital trade and critical minerals. MOTIR and DG TRADE reviewed the remaining procedures required before the Korea–EU Digital Trade Agreement (DTA), signed in June 2026, can enter into force and discussed follow-up cooperation, including on electronic signatures. On critical minerals, the two sides exchanged views on diversifying supply chains and coordinating policies among major economies. “Changes in EU rules on industry, supply chains, and the environment are an important part of the trade environment and directly affect Korean companies’ business activities,” said Director General Kim. “We will continue consultations to ensure that Korean companies’ views are fully reflected during implementation of these measures.” date2026-09-18

Korea and Five Central Asian Countries Lay Groundwork for Critical Mineral Supply Chains and Manufacturing AI Cooperation

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR, Minister JK Kim) announced a series of economic diplomacy outcomes with five Central Asian countries—Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan—across industry, trade and supply chains during the First Korea-Central Asia Summit 2026, held in Seoul from September 14 to 16, 2026. In conjunction with the summit, MOTIR also held a series of events: the inaugural C5+1 Industry Ministers’ Meeting on September 14; the Korea–Kazakhstan Business Roundtable, the Korea–Uzbekistan Business Forum and the Korea–Turkmenistan Business Forum on September 15; and the First Korea-Central Asia Business Summit 2026 on September 16, attended by the leaders of all six countries. Although Korea has maintained bilateral consultation channels with each of the five Central Asian countries, this marked the first time in 34 years of diplomatic relations that the five Central Asian countries came together with Korea to discuss cooperation on industry and supply chains, including critical minerals. By combining Central Asia’s abundant strategic minerals, including lithium, uranium and rare earths, with Korea’s advanced manufacturing and processing technologies, the two sides laid the groundwork for a mutually beneficial value chain that moves beyond a simple raw-material import model to link local refining and smelting with high-value-added processing and finished-product manufacturing. Intergovernmental Cooperation: New Multilateral Industry and Supply Chain Consultation Channel Established; Nine Bilateral and Multilateral Cooperation Documents Signed At the inaugural C5+1 Industry Ministers’ Meeting on September 14, the industry ministries of Korea and the five Central Asian countries signed an MOU on industry and supply chain cooperation and established a multilateral ministerial consultation channel to respond to supply chain disruptions and promote industrial diversification. MOTIR also signed eight bilateral cooperation documents on the occasion of bilateral summits and other meetings, setting out practical cooperation tailored to each country’s industrial conditions and economic needs. With Kazakhstan, Korea signed a framework agreement on crude oil cooperation to strengthen cooperation across the crude oil value chain, including oil field development and petrochemicals. The two countries also signed an MOU on nuclear energy cooperation to establish a basis for cooperation across the nuclear power life cycle. With Kyrgyzstan, the two sides revised their existing MOU on trade and investment cooperation, substantially expanding its scope to include critical minerals, halal industries and digital transformation. They also agreed to launch a regular director-general-level consultation channel. With Tajikistan, Korea signed an MOU on industrial cooperation for the first time since the two countries established diplomatic relations, laying the groundwork for broad industrial cooperation in mining and critical minerals, AI and emerging technologies, textiles and chemicals. With Turkmenistan, Korea signed an MOU on cooperation in the chemical industry and industrial plant projects, establishing a framework spanning policy, technology and workforce development and providing a basis for Korean plant engineering companies to expand into the Turkmen market. With Uzbekistan, Korea signed an MOU on a full-cycle critical minerals cooperation platform to advance processing and exploration cooperation through the Korea–Uzbekistan Rare Metals Center. They also signed an MOU on cooperation in AI transformation in manufacturing to pursue AI-driven manufacturing innovation in connection with official development assistance (ODA) projects, as well as an MOU on export capacity building to share trade policy experience and work to expand bilateral trade. Private-Sector Business Coo date2026-09-17

Korea Discusses Early Implementation of IFDA at WTO Public Forum 2026

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR, Minister JK Kim) held a session titled “Powering Supply Chains through Investment Facilitation” at the WTO Public Forum 2026 on September 17, 2026. This year’s Public Forum was held at WTO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, from September 15 to 17, 2026, under the theme “Powering the Future,” with a focus on the future of trade in services. MOTIR and the Korea International Trade Association (KITA) jointly hosted the September 17 session to highlight the importance of investment facilitation in expanding trade in services and strengthening supply chains. The discussion focused on the need for early implementation of the Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement (IFDA) and key issues to be addressed going forward. The IFDA is a plurilateral agreement designed to support greater and more sustainable investment, a major pillar of the global economy and trade, by making investment-related administrative procedures more transparent, predictable and efficient. The negotiations were concluded at the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC13) in 2024, and the IFDA currently has 131 participating WTO members. Since 2017, Korea and Chile have co-chaired the IFDA negotiations and led them through to their conclusion. Korea also led discussions at the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC14) on incorporating the IFDA into the WTO legal framework and continues to contribute to the agreement’s early entry into force. At Korea’s session, moderated by Professor Gabrielle Marceau of the University of Geneva, Nan Li Collins, Director of the Division on Investment and Enterprise at UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), emphasized that implementing the IFDA could help improve conditions for investment in services. Dorothy Tembo, Deputy Executive Director of the International Trade Centre (ITC), explained that the IFDA could help attract investment and support growth, particularly in developing countries, by creating a more favorable and transparent investment environment. Ed Brzytwa, Vice President of International Trade at the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), outlined the regulatory and administrative difficulties businesses face when making investments and emphasized the importance of a predictable and transparent investment environment. “The IFDA is expected to play an important role in expanding investment worldwide, including in developing countries, by streamlining investment-related administrative procedures and improving investment conditions,” said Yoon Chang-hyun, Director General for Multilateral Trade and Legal Affairs at MOTIR. He emphasized the need to identify practical and feasible ways to bring the IFDA into force and implement it as soon as possible, and affirmed Korea’s commitment to contributing to these efforts. date2026-09-17

(Press Clarification) No Specific Details Finalized Yet on Nuclear Power Projects Related to U.S.-Bound Investment, Including Whether to Acquire a Stake in Westinghouse

Media Report On September 15, 2026, The Korea Economic Daily reported in an article titled “Seoul eyes 15% Westinghouse stake, board seat in US nuclear expansion” that the government is seeking to acquire an approximately 15 percent stake in Westinghouse and secure board representation.  The article also reported that the government plans to use the investment as a basis to expand Korean companies’ participation in U.S. nuclear power plant construction and broaden cooperation to include joint exports to third countries. Government Response Korea and the United States are engaged in a range of discussions on nuclear power projects related to Korea’s U.S.-bound investment, but no specific details have yet been decided. As discussions between Korea and the United States are ongoing, MOTIR asks the media to exercise caution when reporting on matters that have not yet been finalized. date2026-09-16

Korea and Five Central Asian Countries Hold First Industry Ministers’ Meeting to Discuss Multilateral Cooperation on Industry and Critical Minerals

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR, Minister JK Kim) held the inaugural C5+1 Industry Ministers’ Meeting in Seoul on September 14, 2026, with industry ministers from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Although Korea has maintained bilateral ministerial-level channels on industrial cooperation with each of the five Central Asian countries, this marked the first time that industry ministers from all six countries met to discuss cooperation on industry and supply chains, including critical minerals. Three Priority Areas of Cooperation The industry ministers of the six countries agreed to strengthen practical cooperation in three priority areas to jointly respond to a rapidly changing global trade environment and shifting supply chains. First, to expand trade and upgrade industrial infrastructure, the ministers agreed to move beyond merchandise trade and enhance the quality of cooperation by expanding Korea’s participation in projects across Central Asia, including integrated industrial complexes, smart infrastructure and plant modernization, and by upgrading the region’s broader industrial base. Second, on building critical mineral supply chains, the ministers agreed to strengthen cooperation across the entire supply chain by combining Central Asia’s abundant mineral resources, including lithium and rare earths, with Korea’s advanced processing and materials technologies. They also plan to expand downstream value-chain cooperation beyond extraction and raw-material imports to local refining and smelting, high-value-added materials processing, and finished-product manufacturing. Third, on technology cooperation and future talent development, the ministers explored mutually beneficial ways to strengthen manufacturing competitiveness by combining Central Asia’s industrial potential with Korea’s capabilities in smart factories and data for manufacturing AI. The ministers considered how such cooperation could support the smart transformation of factories across Central Asia and accelerate the deployment of Korean manufacturing equipment and technologies in the region. They also agreed to expand exchanges among young technical talent who will lead future industries. Opening and Closing Remarks by the Chair As host and chair of the inaugural meeting, Minister JK Kim opened the meeting by referring to the pioneering spirit of the trading caravans that once connected Eurasia. “Let us forge a new path together toward an advanced industrial ecosystem, using Korea’s advanced technologies and manufacturing capabilities as a catalyst to unlock Central Asia’s vast growth potential and drive greater growth across Eurasia,” Minister Kim said.  Concluding the meeting, Minister Kim said, “As a Central Asian proverb says, a long road feels far when traveled alone, but near when traveled with good friends. I hope this Industry Ministers’ Meeting will establish itself as a platform for mutually beneficial cooperation where our countries jointly identify and develop practical projects that deliver tangible benefits to businesses and people.” date2026-09-14

Inaugural C5+1 Industry Ministers’ Meeting

Minister JK Kim of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR) attended the inaugural C5+1 Industry Ministers’ Meeting in Seoul on September 14, 2026. Industry ministers from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan attended the meeting. The ministers discussed issues of interest to each country, including expanding trade and upgrading industrial infrastructure; building critical mineral supply chains; and strengthening technology cooperation and future talent development. They also discussed ways to strengthen manufacturing competitiveness through smart factories and data for manufacturing AI. Minister Kim called on the six countries to forge a new path toward an advanced industrial ecosystem by using Korea’s advanced technologies and manufacturing capabilities to unlock Central Asia’s growth potential. date2026-09-14

Korea, Vietnam Hold First Export Control Dialogue to Strengthen Supply Chain Stability and Support for Korean Companies in Vietnam

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR, Minister JK Kim) will hold the inaugural Korea–Vietnam Export Control Dialogue with Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade in Seoul on September 11, 2026. The dialogue is significant as it marks the start of a regular director-general-level channel for cooperation between the two countries’ export control authorities. Vietnam introduced its export control system in October 2025 and began implementing it in June 2026. As Vietnam is a major supply chain partner for Korea and many Korean companies operate there, Korean businesses have a strong interest in the country’s export control system and a clear need to respond to its requirements. Against this backdrop, MOTIR signed an MOU on export control cooperation with Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade in Hanoi on April 23, under which the two authorities agreed to establish a regular consultation mechanism and share information. The dialogue will be held as part of bilateral cooperation under the MOU.  Kim Tae-woo, Director General for Trade Security Policy at MOTIR, and Nguyen Anh Son, Director General of the Agency of Foreign Trade at Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade, will serve as the chief representatives of Korea and Vietnam, respectively. The two sides will exchange information on key export control issues and discuss matters of mutual interest in depth. Korea will also share its experience and practical know-how in operating an export control system aligned with international standards and convey the concerns of Korean companies operating in Vietnam. The dialogue will be held in conjunction with a training program in Korea for Vietnamese export control officials. From September 8 to 11, 2026, the Vietnamese delegation will complete four days of specialized training and visit sites in Korea, including Incheon Regional Customs and Samsung Electronics, an exemplary company under Korea’s Compliance Program (CP). “As Vietnam is a key supply chain partner for Korea, we will continue to strengthen bilateral export control cooperation to support the stability of advanced industrial ecosystems,” said Director General Kim. “We will continue to share Korea’s advanced export control expertise and strengthen tailored local support so Korean companies can respond quickly and smoothly to the new regulatory environment.” date2026-09-11

Korea and Vietnam Hold First Export Control Dialogue

Kim Tae-woo, Director General for Trade Security Policy at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR, Minister JK Kim), attended the inaugural Korea–Vietnam Export Control Dialogue on September 11, 2026, at the Korean Security Agency of Trade and Industry (KOSTI) in Seoul. Government delegations from both countries attended, including Nguyen Anh Son, Director General of the Agency of Foreign Trade at Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade. The two sides exchanged information on key export control issues and discussed matters of mutual interest. “We will continue to share Korea’s advanced export control expertise and strengthen tailored local support so Korean companies can respond quickly and smoothly to the new regulatory environment,” Director General Kim said. date2026-09-11

Meeting with France’s Minister for the Economy, Finance and Industrial, Energy and Digital Sovereignty

Minister JK (Jung-Kwan) Kim of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR) met with Roland Lescure, France’s Minister for the Economy, Finance and Industrial, Energy and Digital Sovereignty, at the ministry in Paris on September 7, 2026, during President Lee Jae Myung’s visit to France. The two ministers discussed cooperation to establish a strategic framework spanning industry, trade and supply chains, including the new Korea–France Strategic Industrial Dialogue. “The new ministerial dialogue will provide Korea and France with a standing framework for regular consultations on industrial policy, trade and investment, supply chains and economic security,” Minister Kim said. date2026-09-08