As protectionism spreads and countries tighten certification and customs regulations, the South Korean government is stepping in to assist exporters in overcoming non-tariff barriers in nine key Asian markets. Local experts will provide guidance on country-specific regulations and how to leverage free trade agreements (FTAs), along with tailored consultations for individual companies.
On October 20, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) held a seminar titled 'Addressing Non-Tariff Barriers for Export Diversification' for over 90 domestic export companies. This seminar aims to reduce export challenges and diversify export items and markets in response to global protectionist measures and changing trade environments. It will focus specifically on non-tariff barriers in China, Japan, India, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Cambodia.
Experts from 11 overseas FTA utilization support centers established in these countries will explain the certification and customs requirements specific to each nation, as well as key examples of FTA utilization. Non-tariff barriers refer to various regulations and administrative procedures that restrict imports and exports or impose additional burdens on businesses, including product certification, technical standards, and customs requirements.
Even if exporters benefit from tariff reductions through FTAs, they may face difficulties entering local markets if they do not meet the certification or customs requirements of the destination country. This is why the government is guiding exporters to verify non-tariff barriers before entering new markets.
During the seminar, local experts will introduce the differing certification and customs systems in each country and share real-world examples of FTA utilization by companies. Following the event, one-on-one consultations will be available to help businesses assess the necessary certifications and customs procedures based on their target countries and export items.
Earlier this year, in February, the government announced an 'Integrated Announcement for the 2026 FTA Utilization Support Project,' involving nine central ministries, including the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Korea Customs Service, along with 22 related organizations such as KOTRA and the Korea International Trade Association. This announcement includes support for FTA utilization, assistance for entering overseas markets, and initiatives to enhance industrial competitiveness.
The government believes that with annual exports potentially reaching $1 trillion this year, it is crucial to expand the overseas presence of small and medium-sized enterprises equipped with technology and expertise, in addition to existing key export items. To this end, it plans to strengthen the provision of local regulatory information and company-specific consultations through the FTA utilization support centers, aiming to reduce challenges encountered during the process of entering new export markets.
Park Geun-oh, Director of Trade Agreement Policy at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, stated, 'We will actively support our small and medium-sized enterprises with technology and expertise to prepare for local non-tariff barriers, enabling them to diversify their export items and markets and become key players in export growth.'
* This article has been translated by AI.
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