Mongolia and South Korea establish diplomatic relations in 1990, marking the start of their cooperation. Over the years, this relationship strengthens, evolving into a close partnership.
Another One Besides Japan
To date, Mongolia has a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) exclusively with Japan. For the past 2 years, Mongolia has been negotiating a similar agreement with South Korea, and the draft is now finalized. This development raises public concerns, fearing that "South Korea to take the best parts, leaving Mongolia with the scraps." But what exactly are these "best parts" and "scraps"?
Broad Scope: Beyond Trade Tariffs
South Korea, unlike Mongolia, has free trade agreements with 22 countries. The proposed agreement with Mongolia consists of 14 chapters, covering trade, services, and investment, making it more than just a tariff reduction deal, it focuses on broader economic cooperation.
Under this agreement, both countries are expected to grant mutual tariff reductions, ease trade barriers, improve the investment climate, align trade regulations, and expand collaboration in the service sector.
 However…
South Korea's presence in Mongolia's infrastructure, mining, and cultural sectors is expanding. For instance, KT Group to begin importing rare earth elements from Mongolia, and South Korea is involved not only in metro projects but also in railway developments. In this context, we import $956 million from the country since 2023, but our exports are 5 times less than that.
To conclude… Japan, Mongolia's only FTA partner, provides Mongolia with significant non-repayable aid. Strengthening ties with South Korea offers clear advantages, but we need to ensure that the benefits to be balanced.The draft provisions of the free trade agreement are designed to promote mutual economic growth, but careful consideration is necessary to address potential imbalances and ensure that both nations benefit equitably from the partnership.

Published Date:2025-03-18