The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said it held a meeting at Korea Trade Insurance Corp on Thursday to review export risks and opportunities for 2026. The meeting was arranged to sustain export momentum despite continued domestic and external uncertainty, even after record export results in 2025.

Yeo Han-ku said South Korea's exports in 2025 defied early-year forecasts and surpassed $700 billion for the first time. He described it as the result of efforts to remove risks, including restoring market confidence since the government took office and concluding tariff talks with the United States, as well as the passion of companies and workers.

The meeting, chaired by Yeo Han-ku, was attended by research institutes, securities firm analysts and export support agencies. Analysts from Shinhan Securities and Samsung Securities in sectors including semiconductors, autos, steel, biotech and consumer goods attended, along with KOTRA and Korea Trade Insurance Corp. Participants reviewed export risks and opportunity factors by key sector. Analysts presented outlooks for each industry, and export support agencies discussed on-the-ground response measures.

The International Trade and Commerce Research Institute cited rising demand for AI semiconductors and increased demand for Korean food and beauty products driven by the spread of K-culture as positive factors this year. It said preparations were needed for trade risks, including the full rollout of the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism and the new introduction of steel import restrictions. The Korea Institute for International Economic Policy released macroeconomic outlooks for major regions including the United States, China, ASEAN and the EU. It recommended strengthening monitoring of changes in major countries' trade policies and said strategies to diversify exports to emerging markets such as ASEAN and India were essential.

Yeo said the government would do its best to achieve exports of $700 billion for a second consecutive year with the mindset that exports are the people's livelihood and South Korea's future. He said it would pursue diversification of export items and markets, push fundamental innovation in export infrastructure such as trade finance and exhibitions, and open an era of exports for all through support for local exhibitions and for regional small and medium-sized companies to develop sales channels.