Korea presses EU lawmakers to shield its firms under industrial acceleration act

South Korea's industry ministry said Thursday it sent a delegation to Strasbourg this week to urge European Parliament members to keep Korean manufacturers from being discriminated against under the European Union's Industrial Acceleration Act.

The delegation, led by Kim Jang-hee, the ministry's head of new trade strategy, met nine lawmakers on Tuesday and Wednesday who steer the act through the parliament, including Vice President Martin Hojsik of Slovakia and Camila Gasiuk-Pihowicz of Poland, a vice chair of the internal market and consumer protection committee. The lawmakers came from the three committees with jurisdiction over the act — internal market and consumer protection, international trade, and industry, energy and research — and from the EPP, S&D, ECR, Renew and PfE political groups, the ministry said.

Seoul's core request is that Korea be recognized as a trusted partner, with the EU's equivalence principle applied consistently across public procurement, public support and other areas where the act applies. The ministry said Korean firms have invested in Europe for years, building local production, employment and supply chains in autos, nuclear power, steel and batteries, and argued that cooperation with competitive partners like Korea serves the act's own goal of strengthening EU industrial competitiveness.

"Korea is a key partner that has contributed to strengthening the EU's industrial competitiveness and supply chains," Kim said, adding that the government would keep up high-level and joint outreach centered on the task force so that Korean companies' positions are fully reflected in the EU legislative process.