Ministry of Trade Industry and Resources

The government, industry, and experts will mobilize national capabilities to address Korea’s energy and resource supply vulnerabilities stemming from the Middle East conflict and strengthen industrial and resource supply chains across the full value chain, from critical minerals to materials and parts. Minister JK (Jung-Kwan) Kim of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR) held the first Industrial and Resource Security Strategy Meeting at Korea Trade Insurance Corporation (K-SURE) in Seoul on June 25, 2026, with experts and industry representatives to discuss future policy directions.

The Middle East conflict, which has continued for more than 110 days, has underscored the limits of relying on the government or industry alone to manage resource security crises in Korea, a resource-poor, export-driven economy. It also showed the need to move beyond one-off crisis responses and rebuild supply chains to withstand future disruptions. The Strategy Meeting was launched as a public-private forum to reform Korea’s industrial and resource security system and strengthen crisis response. Members of the Resource Security Advisory Group also participated in the meeting to help gather views from a broad range of fields. The group includes experts in resource economics and security, international politics and trade, law and accounting, and market analysis, as well as representatives from associations and organizations for major resources.

At the meeting, MOTIR outlined how it will prepare the master plan for resource security and a plan for stockpiling critical minerals under the Special Act on National Resource Security, and received input from participating experts.

Experts at the meeting said the Middle East conflict brought into clearer focus that resources, as raw materials for industry, underpin Korea’s manufacturing sector and national economy. They also agreed that self-reliance in Korea’s industrial and resource supply chains depends not simply on securing resources, but on the ability to control supply chain bottlenecks.

To reduce risks from Korea’s heavy reliance on resource imports, the experts recommended diversifying supply sources and procurement methods and expanding stockpiling capacity to improve crisis resilience. They also emphasized the need to manage the full supply chain, from upstream to downstream, and said Korea should mobilize all available policy tools at the national level to secure upstream supply. Participants also agreed that Korea needs to build governance, foster a skilled workforce, and develop and protect key technologies to pursue resource security over the long term.

Minister Kim said, “Global supply chains are shifting from a Just-in-Time system to a Just-in-Case system that prepares for contingencies. Resource security is a national task that requires careful, long-term preparation.” He asked experts to continue sharing their insights so that the government and the private sector can work together with a shared sense of responsibility and establish a resource security system that can withstand any circumstances.

MOTIR has been preparing the master plan for resource security under the procedures set out in the Special Act on National Resource Security. In 2025, the ministry conducted a resource security diagnosis and assessment covering major core resources. Since April 2026, it has also worked with a group of about 30 researchers, experts, and officials from relevant public institutions to identify areas for supply chain improvement and medium- to long-term policy tasks raised by the Middle East conflict and other developments.

MOTIR will give due consideration to the recommendations raised at the Strategy Meeting and incorporate relevant points into the master plan for resource security. The ministry will finalize the plan, which will serve as a medium- to long-term roadmap for resource security, in July 2026 after review and approval by the Resource Security Council.