Ministry of Trade Industry and Resources

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR, Minister JK Kim) will host the second round of negotiations for the Green Economy Partnership Agreement (GEPA) in Seoul from September 30 to October 2, 2026. In negotiating this plurilateral agreement, participating countries will discuss trade rules for the green economy and cooperative measures to expand trade and investment.

The Office of Trade Negotiations at MOTIR said around 20 delegates from Korea, New Zealand, Singapore and Chile will participate in the negotiations. New Zealand, Singapore and Chile previously announced plans to pursue GEPA on the sidelines of the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in October 2025 and subsequently launched negotiations in Singapore in July 2026. Korea formalized its participation in GEPA through an exchange of letters between the trade ministers on September 11, 2026, and will now take part in the negotiations beginning with this second round.

GEPA aims to establish common standards among participating countries for trade-related climate measures such as the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and facilitate trade in low-emission goods, including low-carbon steel. This round of negotiations will focus on criteria for identifying low-emission and environmental goods, measures to expand trade in these products, and cooperation on the use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in the aviation sector.

“With the second round of negotiations, Korea’s participation in GEPA has entered a substantive phase,” said Kim Jang-hee, Director General for Emerging Trade Strategy and Policy at MOTIR. “We will engage actively in the negotiations so that efforts to address climate change and expand green markets can help Korean industry strengthen its competitiveness and secure an early foothold in new markets.”