Ministry of Trade Industry and Resources

Minister Ahn chairs 35th Energy Commission

Minister for Trade, Industry and Energy Dukgeun Ahn of the Republic of Korea chaired the 35th Energy Commission meeting on March 14 in Seoul for deliberation on the Government’s plans regarding energy supply and demand during emergencies, gas safety management, and electrical safety management. date2025-03-17

Trade Minister meets U.S. Senator Andy Kim

Minister for Trade Inkyo Cheong held talks with U.S. Senator Andy Kim on March 13 in Washington D.C. and discussed stronger Korea-U.S. supply chain cooperation as well as economic and trade cooperation measures. date2025-03-14

Trade Minister holds conference with Korean steel businesses operating in U.S.

Minister for Trade Inkyo Cheong chaired a conference with Korean steel businesses locally operating in the U.S. on March 13 (local time) in Washington D.C. with the participation of POSCO, Hyundai Steel, Hyundai Motor, KOTRA, and KITA and discussed steel tariffs and industry response measures. date2025-03-14

Korea Holds 35th Energy Commission Meeting

Minister Ahn Duk-geun of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE)  held the 35th Energy Commission meeting on March 14, 2025, to deliberate on three agenda items: the Energy Supply and Demand Plan for Emergencies, the Third Basic Plan for Gas Safety Management, and the First Basic Plan for Electrical Safety Management. The Korean government has been preparing response measures against emergency situations involving disruptions to the national energy supply by establishing the Energy Supply and Demand Plan for Emergencies under the Energy Act. In light of the rapidly changing energy supply and demand landscape due to Korea’s shifting energy mix, geopolitical uncertainties following the Russia-Ukraine war, and climate anomalies, the government has laid out response measures to various emergency scenarios. A key feature of the newly established Energy Supply and Demand Plan for Emergencies is that it reorganizes Korea’s energy mix set from electrical power, crude oil, gas, and coal to electrical power, crude oil, gas, and thermal power, reflecting lower coal demand and rising thermal energy demand. The plan also expands the scope of power emergency management to cover not only supply and demand but also the electrical power system, as the growth of renewable energy use has increased power system volatility. Since 2015, the government has been renewing the Basic Plan for Gas Safety Management every five years due to the flammability and explosion risks of gas. Compared with the Second Basic Plan for Gas Safety Management established in 2020, the third plan calls for developing safety standards for new hydrogen technologies and expanding related infrastructure in preparation for Korea’s growing hydrogen economy. In view of the increasing number of old gas facilities, the government will also deploy information technology actively to shift toward a digital-based, continuous safety management system and strengthen voluntary safety management by the private sector. Korea’s electricity use is rising with the spread of power-intensive facilities such as datacenters, and damage from electrical accidents is becoming more complex and larger in scale. In response to these changes, the government established the First Electrical Safety Management Basic Plan in 2025, outlining measures to enhance safety management for vulnerable areas, including multipurpose facilities, industrial complexes, and socially disadvantaged groups. It will also promote flexible, field-oriented electrical safety management and safety technology innovation, while supporting the growth of the electrical safety industry by building a private-led foundation for electrical safety. Minister Ahn stated that the government will continue to innovate the safety management system in line with changing conditions, including the growth of the hydrogen economy and rising electricity demand from advanced industries, to ensure that people can use energy safely. date2025-03-14

Minister Ahn talks with Australia’s Trade and Tourism Minister

Minister for Trade, Industry and Energy Dukgeun Ahn of the Republic of Korea held a videoconference meeting with Australia’s Trade and Tourism Minister Don Farrell on March 11, during which they exchanged views on the global trade environment and agreed to closely cooperate on securing supply chain stability. date2025-03-12

Trade Minister attends 12th Korea-EU FTA Trade Committee meeting

Minister for Trade Inkyo Cheong of the Republic of Korea attended the 12th Korea-EU FTA Trade Committee meeting on March 10 in Brussels and discussed various issues including sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures, electric vehicle (EV) subsidies, and market access with the EU delegation led by European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maroš Šefčovič. date2025-03-12

Trade Minister meets European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security

Minister for Trade Inkyo Cheong of the Republic of Korea held talks with European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maroš Šefčovič on March 10 in Brussels and discussed the changing global trade landscape and trade cooperation measures. date2025-03-12

Korea and Mongolia Strengthen Full-Cycle Cooperation on Rare Metals

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE, Minister Ahn Duk-geun) held the second Korea-Mongolia Rare Metals Cooperation Joint Committee  meeting in Seoul on March 12, 2025, to strengthen bilateral cooperation on rare metals supply chains. The Committee was held as a follow-up to the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on rare metals supply chain cooperation signed during the Mongolian Prime Minister's visit to Korea in February 2023. Deputy Minister for Energy Policy Lee Ho-hyeon led the Korean delegation, which included the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and relevant organizations. Mongolia’s State Secretary of the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources Javkhlanbaatar Sereeter led the Mongolian delegation, joined by the National Geological Survey and the Institute of Geology. The two sides discussed various measures for rare metals cooperation. The Korea-Mongolia Rare Metals Cooperation Center, one of the two countries’ key rare metals cooperation projects, is expected to complete the installation of equipment and facilities by November 2025. The center will serve as a base for Korean companies seeking to enter Mongolia’s mineral development sector and help address key bottlenecks in rare metals technology development.  The Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM) and Mongolia’s Geological Center for Research and Analysis (GCRA) will jointly explore critical minerals to identify rare metal reserves in Mongolia and conduct demonstrations of Korean companies’ exploration technologies. The Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning (KETEP) plans to launch an R&D project to expedite Mongolia’s tin mining development and contribute to Korea’s supply chains by applying smart mining technologies suitable for Mongolian sites and securing beneficiation technologies for a pilot plant. Going forward, Korea and Mongolia plan to pursue full-cycle cooperation from exploration to development, focusing on commercially promising rare metals to help stabilize Korea’s supply chains and develop Mongolia’s mineral resources. date2025-03-12

Minister Ahn Discusses Global Trade Cooperation with Australian Trade Minister

Minister Ahn Duk-geun of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) held a videoconference meeting with Australia’s Minister for Trade and Tourism Don Farrell on March 11, 2025, during which they exchanged views on the global trade environment and agreed to closely cooperate on securing supply chain stability. Noting the steady expansion of the Korea-Australia trade and investment based on their mutually complementary trade structures, Minister Ahn called for advancing cooperation beyond traditional areas such as energy and resources into forward-looking areas such as supply chains, clean economy, and digital sectors. Moreover, Minister Ahn requested the Australian government’s interest and support in facilitating Korean companies’ investment projects in Australia, including those involving critical minerals. He also called for the active participation and cooperation of Australian government and businesses for Korea’s successful hosting of APEC 2025 as this year’s APEC chair. date2025-03-11

Korea’s Ambassador for International Investment Cooperation to Conduct U.S. Outreach with Six Major Think Tanks

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE, Minister Ahn Duk-geun) announced on March 11, 2026, that Ambassador for International Investment Cooperation Choi Joong-kyung is visiting Washington D.C. from March 10 to 14, 2026, to conduct outreach activities with major U.S. institutions to strengthen Korea-U.S. economic, industrial, and investment cooperation. The Korean government appointed Ambassador Choi for International Investment Cooperation this January as an ambassador-at-large to help raise Korea’s external credibility by explaining the country’s solid economic fundamentals to the international community. Ambassador Choi will visit think tanks, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and companies to expand the scope of bilateral cooperation through discussions on promising areas for industrial cooperation. First, a seminar for promoting Korea-U.S. industry and investment cooperation will be held on March 11, 2026, at the Heritage Foundation, one of the leading U.S. think tanks. At the seminar, Ambassador Choi will present the potential of the Korean economy and its industrial competitiveness to U.S. experts, business leaders, and special correspondents. He will also highlight that the two countries are well-suited partners for economic and industrial cooperation as allies that share the values of democracy and free markets. In his keynote address, Ambassador Choi stated, “The United States has advanced technology while Korea has world-class manufacturing capacity. He added that the two countries can create mutually beneficial synergy based on their complementary industrial structures. He proposed that shipbuilding, defense, AI and semiconductors, nuclear power, energy, and batteries are six promising areas of bilateral industrial cooperation, maintaining that both countries will be able to enhance their global competitiveness by combining the U.S.’ cutting-edge technologies and demand for security cooperation with Korea’s manufacturing infrastructure and highly skilled workforce. Ambassador Choi adds that policy continuity and legal stability are essential for Korean companies to continue expanding investments in the U.S. in areas such as semiconductors, batteries, and other manufacturing sectors, underscoring the need for transitional measures in adjusting existing policies for projects in which investments have already begun. During his visit, Ambassador Choi also plans to meet with key experts at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE), Korea Economic Institute of America (KEI), Brookings Institution, and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) to discuss strategic bilateral cooperation across politics, economy, security, and international environment. date2025-03-11