Sejong, September 20 - On September 16, the Ministry of Environment (Minister Han Wha-jin) launched the "Export Council for Environmental Industries" to assist Korean companies in entering China's environmental market. Led by the Korea Environment Industry Association (KEIA), the Export Council for Environmental Industries was launched to alleviate the difficulties of environmental businesses in entering overseas markets by sharing knowledge and information.

Before the launch ceremony, the KEIA surveyed 119 environmental companies earlier this year to which country they wished to expand their businesses. Based on the survey result, the KEIA decided China be the first target country of the Council. China has a large environmental market, and it is advantageous for Korean companies to enter the Chinese market with their technological level. However, it is required to thoroughly analyze the local conditions as the country's relevant policies and systems are rapidly changing. 

Jang Gi-bok, Director-General of the Green Transition Policy Bureau, attended the launch ceremony and congratulated the Export Council for Environmental Industries launch. He discussed with ten companies who participated in the Council to share the challenges in entering the Chinese market and ways to manage the new council effectively. Moreover, Ko Kwang-jin, Environmental Industry Team of the China-Korea Environmental Cooperation Center (CKECC), introduced the role of the center and its testing lab. He also shared the Chinese environmental industry, market trends, and how to utilize CKECC for export. The CKECC is an organization founded in Beijing, China, in June 2018 by the South Korean Ministry of Environment and the Chinese Ministry of Ecology and Environment, with an aim to strengthen environmental collaboration between the two countries.

The Export Council for Environmental Industries plans to invite several companies that have already penetrated the Chinese market to share their success and failure stories and request their participation in Korea-China environmental cooperation projects. The Council will also organize an advance team for field investigation. Following China, the Ministry of Environment will form similar export councils for Vietnam and the U.S., two countries with the highest demand for Korean companies. The ministry will start recruiting companies that want to participate in each council from September 15 to 30. The Export Council for Vietnam will attend the Environment & Energy Tech to be held in Hanoi, Vietnam, on October 26 and conduct market research. On the other hand, the Export Council for the U.S. will award research contracts on the U.S. regional environmental policies and potential orders. The council will set up an environmental export strategy based on the results. 

The Ministry of Environment anticipates that the Export Council for Environmental Industries will function as a window for cooperation between companies. The ministry also expects the council to help improve systems for Korea's environmental industry to enter overseas markets.

Director-General Jang said, "The launch of the Council is significant as the environmental industry, as a whole, came together to find routes for export. The ministry will continue to support additional councils we expect to form next year, so Korean companies can more effectively enter overseas markets."

Contact:Lee Hye-won, Deputy Director

Green Industry Innovation Division / +82-(0)44-201-6709

Foreign Media Contact: Chun Minjo(Rachel)

+82-(0)44-201-6055 / rachelmchun@korea.kr