South Korea and Malaysia have agreed to resume negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA).The Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy announced on March 26 that Jung In-gyo, chief trade negotiator of the Ministry, met with Tengku Zafrul Aziz, the Minister of Investment, Trade, and Industry of Mal
The rapid increase in direct overseas purchases through Chinese e-commerce companies such as AliExpress, Temu, and Shein has led to discussions about alternative measures to mitigate the side effects. However, it has been confirmed that the proposal to tax small imported goods is closely linked to t
As Chinese shopping platforms such as AliExpress, Temu, and Shein continue to expand their presence within the domestic market, it has been revealed that seized counterfeit Chinese imports amount to a staggering 1.8 trillion won over the past five years.According to the Korea Customs Service on Marc
In February, Korea’s instant noodle exports reached a record high. As the green light has been given to instant noodle exports since the beginning of the year, Korea’s ramen exports are expected to exceed USUS$1 billion for the first time this year.Korea’s instant noodle exports last month was the h
While domestic demand including consumption continues to remain weak, exports, which have been driving up Korea’s economic recovery, are also facing a threat on the account of a slump in exports to China. Exports to China grew by more than 16 percent in January this year, snapping a 19-month streak
Korea’s duty exemption threshold for cross-border shopping is set at US$150 per day. This limit is now on the table. It is blamed on the fact that Chinese e-commerce companies such as AliExpress, Temu, and Shein selling ultra-low-priced goods can quickly expand their presences in the Korean market t
Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Express announced a consumer protection policy on March 14 that offers unconditional returns and refunds within 90 days for cross-border online purchases. Additionally, it has officially launched a customer service hotline and plans to invest about 1.5 trillion won o
Chinese online shopping platforms AliExpress, Temu, Shine and other overseas business operators over a certain size will be required to have representatives in Korea. This new policy is aimed at making them responsible for consumer protection.Unlike AliExpress, which currently has a legal entity in
A Korean-owned Ireland-based semiconductor company is reportedly among companies included in a list of those under U.S. sanctions against Russia.According to the Irish Times in Dublin, Ireland-based Cubit Semiconductor was included in the sanctions announced by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s
Korean forklifts set a new export record last year, benefiting from the increased demand for factory expansions in North America due to supply chain restructuring.According to the Customs Service’s export and import trade statistics on Feb. 14, Korea exported forklifts (forklift trucks and industria
Starbucks Korea, the leading coffee chain by sales, has been reported to have the fourth-largest number of stores worldwide. According to the distribution industry on Feb. 12, data from Starbucks’ global website showed that, as of the end of last year, the number of Starbucks stores in South Korea i
The Consumers Union of Korea (CUK) revealed on Feb. 1 that consumer complaints related to AliExpress, an e-commerce platform operated by China’s Alibaba, have surged significantly.According to the CUK, the Consumer Consultation recorded a fivefold increase in complaints related to AliExpress last ye
Last year, South Korea achieved a historic high in whiskey imports, surpassing 30,000 tons. In contrast, wine imports decreased by over 20 percent, showing a downward trend for the second consecutive year.According to the trade statistics released by the Korea Customs Service on Jan. 30, the import
Hanjin announced on Jan. 26 that it will expand its overseas bases to a total of 42 this year to foster its global business.This year, Hanjin will establish 17 subsidiaries and a total of 42 bases in 22 countries including Thailand, Bangladesh, Morocco, and Hungary to build a logistics network conne
Local customs officials have apprehended executives of a distribution company involved in the smuggling of U.S.-made semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) chips, classified as strategic items, into China after importing them for domestic use. This marks the first instance of customs discovering the
In 2023, the volume of kimchi exports turned to growth, reaching a new record high. The global K-content craze had an impact on the increase in kimchi exports, experts say.According to the Korea Customs Service on Jan. 21, South Korea exported 44,041 tons of kimchi in 2023, up 7.1% from 41,118 tons
The Korean beauty care industry is turning its eyes to the Japanese market. It is a strategy to try to rebound by targeting Japan as an alternative market as its performance weakened due to a decline in the market share of Korean cosmetics in China.LG Household and Health Care’s cumulative sales thr
According to market research firm Euromonitor, in 2023, the average coffee consumption per adult in South Korea reached 405 cups per year, more than double the global average of 152 cups. This marks the highest consumption rate among major Asian countries, translating to more than one cup of coffee
Korea and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have finalized negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). The Korea-GCC FTA is Korea’s twenty-fifth FTA and the second with the Arab world after the Korea-United Arab Emirates (UAE) Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). As Korea has gain
This year marks the 60th anniversary since the release of ramen in Korea, and its export revenue has exceeded 1 trillion won for the first time in history.According to the trade statistics from the Korea Customs Service on Dec. 10, the export revenue of ramen from January to October this year reache