[2026 National Assembly Audit] Kim Jeong-gwan: "The President Is Also Committed to CPTPP ... We Will Definitely Join"

At Oct. 22 comprehensive audit by the National Assembly's Trade, Industry, Energy, SMEs and Startups Committee
"We will conduct more thorough consultation and communication with the agriculture, forestry and fisheries sectors"
"The Wide-Area Special

Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Kim Jeonggwan made clear on October 22 that he was determined to have South Korea join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). He said that although President Lee Jae-myung had instructed him two weeks earlier not to apply for membership in the CPTPP this year, the president was also clearly committed to joining the agreement.

At a comprehensive audit by the National Assembly's Trade, Industry, Energy, SMEs and Startups Committee that day, Kim said, "As the minister in charge of trade, I will make sure we join the CPTPP." He has maintained that joining the pact is necessary to expand export markets and stabilize supply chains.

Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Kim Jeonggwan (center) answers questions from committee members during the 2026 comprehensive parliamentary audit held by the National Assembly's Trade, Industry, Energy, SMEs and Startups Committee on the 22nd. Oct. 22, 2026. Yonhap News.

At the audit, lawmaker Yoon Han-hong of the People Power Party pointed out, "It took the United Kingdom about four years from applying to join to the agreement taking effect," adding, "If the government says not to apply this year, that means the Lee Jae-myung administration will not do it." Kim responded, "The president is clearly committed to joining the CPTPP. I understand the instruction not to submit a preliminary application this year as being intended to allow us to consult and communicate more thoroughly with the agricultural, forestry and fisheries sectors."

Kim stressed that the government would not set a timeline for joining and would first conduct a thorough process to gather input from the fisheries sector. "I feel pressed for time," he said, "but I will do everything I can during the remainder of this year to speak openly with our farmers and fishers and try to persuade them."

Kim said that the Mega Special Zone Act (Super-Regional Special Zone Act), which is intended to support megaprojects, should include special labor provisions, such as exemptions from the 52-hour workweek. "We hope the Mega Special Zone Act will include exceptions related to labor," he said. "We will do our utmost to pass the bill during this regular session of the National Assembly."

At the audit that day, lawmakers also criticized the government reorganization that assigned domestic nuclear power plant construction and operation, along with other nuclear policy, to the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, while responsibility for overseas nuclear power exports was assigned to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. People Power Party lawmaker Park Seong-min said, "The government reorganization was carried out too hastily and incorrectly. It needs to be corrected, even now." Kim responded, "My opposition to the reorganization has not changed, but since things have been reorganized this way, I believe we need to make the system work effectively." He added, "Because domestic and overseas nuclear power operations have been separated, I believe inefficiencies have emerged in some areas. However, since we have been assigned responsibility for overseas exports, we will do our best within the current system."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.