South Korea aims to expand its free trade agreement network and establish a risk management system to navigate increasing geopolitical uncertainties in an important election year, according to the Industry Ministry. The new trade policy roadmap, introduced during a ministerial meeting on economic affairs, seeks to address protectionist measures adopted by key economies and potential impacts of presidential elections. Trade Minister Cheong In-kyo emphasized the importance of addressing new trade issues such as economic security and supply chains, highlighting that these issues should be managed by the government even when the WTO system is restored. The roadmap's key objectives include expanding South Korea's free trade agreement network to cover 90 percent of the global gross domestic product, prioritizing strategic economic partnership agreements with resource-rich countries and emerging economies, and strengthening cooperation with key nations such as the US, Japan, members of the European Union, and China to manage trade risks and minimize negative impacts on Korean businesses. Additionally, South Korea plans to establish rapid cooperation systems to respond to supply chain disruptions, boost its role as the chair of the Critical Minerals Security Partnership, and seek business opportunities to help companies expand cooperation with global companies. The country has achieved record-breaking exports of $683.6 billion in 2022 and foreign investment inflows of $32.7 billion in 2023.