Yeo Han-koo, Korea’s Trade Minister, attended the 2026 World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, where he held around 50 meetings with key trade ministers, global CEOs, and renowned scholars. Under the theme ‘Spirit of Dialogue,’ the forum gathered the largest-ever number of government and business leaders to discuss various trade issues amid heightened global uncertainty. Yeo actively addressed trade challenges, expanded networks, and promoted global investment through participation in the WTO trade ministers’ meeting and chairing the Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement (IFDA) session. The forum also saw vibrant discussions on emerging topics such as artificial intelligence, critical minerals, and digital industries.
Minister Yeo met with the USTR representative, governors of Michigan, California, and Kentucky, as well as trade officials from the EU, Canada, France, Switzerland, and Israel, discussing Korea-US trade issues, steel import regulations, and industrial cooperation. He also engaged with the GCC, Thailand, Egypt, Mongolia, Bangladesh, and Argentina to accelerate FTA and CEPA negotiations and reviewed progress in Korea-China FTA service and investment talks. Meetings with CEOs from Merck, Apple, Ørsted, AstraZeneca, Coca-Cola, AWS, Maersk, and Trafigura focused on Korea’s new industry policies and requests for increased foreign investment.
Yeo also held in-depth discussions with experts in semiconductors, AI, and international relations. With Chris Miller, author of ‘Chip War,’ he discussed US semiconductor regulations and global industry prospects. He introduced Korea’s AI-driven manufacturing productivity policy (M.AX) to AI scholar Yoshua Bengio and exchanged views on Korea’s AI strategies. Discussions with Ian Bremmer, President of Eurasia Group, covered international affairs, including US-China relations. Throughout various Davos sessions, Yeo presented Korea’s policy directions in AI, digitalization, and supply chains, emphasizing global cooperation.
At the informal WTO trade ministers’ meeting, Yeo advocated for incorporating the IFDA into the WTO framework, extending the e-commerce moratorium, and reforming the WTO. He stressed that the upcoming MC-14 would test the WTO’s credibility and that plurilateral agreements offer practical solutions. Korea aims to play a leading role in officially adopting the IFDA and constructively contribute to WTO reform. Yeo confirmed Korea’s commitment as a coordinator in the multilateral trade system and highlighted the strong international interest in dialogue, cooperation, and investment in Korea.
Korea’s proactive engagement at the Davos Forum demonstrates its pivotal role in addressing global trade challenges and shaping the future multilateral order. By leading discussions on the IFDA and WTO reform, Korea positions itself as a rule-setter in global trade governance. The focus on AI, semiconductors, and digital transformation, coupled with efforts to attract foreign investment, underscores Korea’s strategy to secure future growth engines and enhance its international standing.