![South Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. [Photo=Ajou Economy DB]](https://image.ajunews.com/content/image/2026/05/07/20260507101941941182.png)
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said a delegation led by Kwon Hye-jin, the ministry’s chief trade negotiator, attended the WTO General Council meeting held May 6-7 (local time) in Geneva, Switzerland.
The session was the first high-level multilateral meeting since the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference, or MC-14, held in Cameroon in March.
South Korea’s senior delegation, led by Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo, took part in MC-14 from March 26-30. Yeo was appointed coordinator of the WTO reform session — the first time a South Korean chief delegate held that role — and helped steer broad agreement on reform talks.
However, an extension of the long-standing practice of not imposing customs duties on electronic transmissions, known as the moratorium, failed due to opposition from some members and was not adopted as a final agreement. South Korea also helped lay groundwork for implementing IFDA but did not secure a final deal.
At the General Council, Kwon stressed the urgency of restoring confidence in the multilateral trading system, saying reform discussions should move quickly based on the WTO reform work plan prepared at MC-14.
She said she regretted that the moratorium — maintained for about 30 years — was not extended, and argued it should be renewed to ensure stability and predictability in digital trade. On IFDA, she proposed launching detailed talks on entry into force and implementation so the agreement can make a tangible contribution to improving investment conditions in developing countries.
Kwon also raised concerns that the spread of trade-restrictive measures, including import curbs on steel and other products, could undermine trade liberalization. “Relying on short-term tariff hikes can create a vicious cycle of retaliatory measures,” she said, adding that structural issues such as overcapacity and subsidies should be addressed by tackling root causes.
In bilateral talks with major economies including the United Kingdom, Japan and Turkiye, the delegation voiced concerns about protectionist steps such as the steel safeguard tariff-rate quotas, or TRQs, introduced by the European Union and the U.K. The sides also exchanged views on broader trade issues.
Kwon said South Korea had actively raised the TRQ issue facing its steel industry through multilateral and bilateral channels, and pledged to strengthen trade diplomacy to help restore the WTO system and protect the rights and interests of South Korean companies.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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