The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy held the 2025 Korea-Africa Trade and Industry Cooperation Forum at the Koreana Hotel in Seoul.
The forum was attended by over 100 participants, including ambassadors from 12 African countries, businesspeople, and experts.
The forum aimed to review economic cooperation achievements and discuss future cooperation plans.
The Rural Development Administration has provided guidelines to ensure the quality and safety of medicinal crops post-harvest.
It is crucial to wash and dry the crops quickly to maintain their pharmacological properties, and to use appropriate drying methods based on the crop type.
Proper storage is essential to prevent spoilage and pest damage, with recommendations to use clean packaging and maintain low temperatures.
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy held the Global Market Strategy Meeting on December 15.
The meeting discussed changes in the trade environment, export expansion, and investment attraction strategies with key trade officials and KOTRA regional directors.
The Ministry and KOTRA will hold a Global Market Entry Strategy Briefing on December 16.
The Korea Forest Service’s National Forest Seed Variety Center announced the completion of the 2025 seed distribution survey and plans for intensive inspections in 2026.
This year, major items like shiitake spawn, inoculation media, and seedlings were inspected to prevent the distribution of defective seeds.
In January and February 2026, intensive inspections will be conducted to prevent consumer harm during the Lunar New Year.
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that apply for intellectual property (IP) rights see a 1.36 times increase in high growth potential.
The information and communication industry showed the highest growth potential at 2.69 times, while manufacturing was at 1.39 times.
SMEs that also engage in overseas IP applications see their high growth potential rise to 1.8 times.
The Fair Trade Commission announced the results of the ‘2025 Distribution Sector Supplier Survey’ conducted with major large-scale retailers.
The survey revealed that 89.0% of suppliers reported improved trading practices compared to the previous year, an increase of 3.5 percentage points.
Convenience stores had the highest improvement response rate at 92.8%, while online shopping malls had the lowest at 82.9%.