
Thailand anticipates a 2 per cent growth in exports to South Korea this year to US$6.52 billion, aided partly by a tighter commercial engagement via a so-called mini-free trade agreement (mini-FTA) with the South Korean provinces of Gyeonggi and Pusan. Aluminium products, sugar, oil, rubber goods, electrical circuits, and food and beverage items are among the targeted export categories, according to Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit.
Thailand's exports to South Korea closed at $6.39 billion in 2022, making South Korea the nation's 12th biggest trade partner. Thailand inked its first Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in July last year to construct a mini-FTA with Busan, South Korea's second-largest city after Seoul. A similar agreement was reached by the nation and Gyeonggi province in September 2022.
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"Thailand and Korea have had a relationship for 65 years, encompassing the economy, society and culture. Korean soft power is particularly popular worldwide, including in Thailand. The trade value between the two countries in 2022 reached $16.5 billion or over 570 billion baht, representing a 4.5% increase. It is expected that this year will also show a positive growth trend," said Mr Juirn, who presided over the opening ceremony of the G-Fair Korean 2nd Asean+ 2023 Korea Sourcing Fair in Bangkok.
Gyeonggi has the greatest GDP growth rate in South Korea, with a population of over 13.9 million people. Because of its outstanding IT development and technological promotion, the city has also been nicknamed South Korea'sKorea's Silicon Valley.
Gyeonggi province in South Korea arranged the event in Bangkok with Gyeonggido Business & Science Accelerator (GBSA) and Gyeonggi Business Centre (GBC). Thailand has mini-free trade agreements with seven cities: Hainan, China, Kofu, Japan, Telangana, India, Gansu, China, Busan and Gyeonggi, South Korea, and Shenzhen, China. Thailand is set to sign a similar agreement with Yunnan Province in southwest China in August, followed by agreements with five Indian states. Other prospective FTAs include agreements with cities in England and Pakistan.
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