Ministry of Finance and Economy

Statistics Korea released report on the 'Economically active population survey' on 11 February, 2026. The economically active population marked 29.197 million persons in January, which grew 236 thousand persons or 0.8% year-on-year. Please refer to the attached PDF.

On February 10, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economy Koo Yun Cheol convened the 263rd Ministerial Meeting on International Economic Affairs at the Government Complex-Seoul. At the meeting, participants deliberated on and approved a plan to establish a temporary implementation framework for the execution of the Korea-U.S. Strategic Investment MOU, and were briefed on Export-Import Bank of Korea’s key implementation strategy for 2026 to promote “productive finance.”   Key messages from DPM Koo’s remarks are as follows:    [Formation of a Special Committee for the Special Act on Korea-U.S. Strategic Investments]   A resolution to establish a special committee to handle the Special Act on the Management of Korea-U.S. Strategic Investments was passed at the National Assembly on February 9.   The government will make every effort to cooperate fully throughout the legislative review process to ensure the swift passage of the bill.   [Launch of a Temporary Implementation Framework for the Korea-U.S. Strategic Investment MOU]   However, even if the special act is passed, it will take an additional approximately three months before it can be implemented, as preparations such as the enactment of subordinate legislation will be required.   While the bill is proceeding through the normal legislative process in accordance with domestic law, any unnecessary misunderstandings between Korea and the U.S. or any erosion of mutual trust during the implementation of the MOU would not be desirable from the perspective of national interest.   Accordingly, the government seeks to build a framework that would allow for preliminary reviews of candidate projects proposed by both sides, within the scope of what is administratively feasible, until the special act is enacted and implemented.   ➊First, the Ministerial Meeting on International Economic Affairs will serve as the temporary control tower, in place of the Operating Committee of the Corporation (Fund) stipulated under the special bill. ➋A Strategic Investment MOU Implementation Committee, comprising the Minister of Industry, vice ministers of relevant ministries, and officials from related institutions, will be operated on a temporary basis.   In addition, with an aim to conduct in-depth reviews of the commercial viability and other aspects of candidate projects proposed by both the U.S. and Korean sides, the government will establish and operate a Preliminary Project Review Panel, composed of experts with the highest level of expertise and experience, under the Strategic Investment MOU Implementation Committee.   As noted earlier, since this procedure involves preliminary reviews conducted within the scope of what is administratively feasible prior to the enactment of the legislation, final investment decisions and the execution of investments will be pursued only after the passage and implementation of the special act, taking into comprehensive consideration of factors such as the project’s commercial viability and financial conditions, including the foreign exchange market.   [Korea Eximbank’s key implementation strategy for 2026 to promote “productive finance”]   In 2026, the Export-Import Bank of Korea seeks to contribute to overcoming low growth and addressing Korea’s polarization by promoting “productive finance.”   (1) The Bank will actively provide KRW 22 trillion in support over the next five years for the AI industry, through a range of instruments including loans, guarantees, equity investments, and AI transformation (AX) consulting, to contribute to the realization of a hyper-innovation economy.   (2) As a member of “Team Korea,” Korea Eximbank will provide KRW 100 trillion in support over the next five years for mega-scale strategic overseas project orders in sectors such as nuclear power, defense, and infrastructure, thereby ensuring steadfast backing for exports and overseas contract awards.   (3) As part of efforts to overcome trade-related crises, the Bank will provide KRW 150 trillion in financing over the next five years, including sector-specific tailored financing under the “Export Vitality ON” financial support package.   (4) Lastly, in order to facilitate balanced regional development, the Bank will drive “inclusive” growth by concentrating at least 35% of its total lending on companies located in regional areas.   [Closing Remarks: Strengthening Korea-U.S. Communication]   The government will continue to strengthen communication with the U.S., including by fully explaining to the U.S. side the efforts undertaken by both the government and the National Assembly to implement the bilateral agreement.   Also, all-out efforts will be made to conduct thorough preparations and rigorous preliminary reviews to make sure that investment projects in the U.S. create mutually beneficial outcomes for both Korea and the U.S., while positioning the Korean economy and businesses to take the lead in global value chains amid the rapidly evolving international trade environment. Please refer to the attached files.

On December 10, 2025, the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MOEF) released the first-ever Public Institutions ESG Guidelines at the 11th Ownership Steering Committee meeting, with a view to enabling public institutions to play a leading role in promoting the adoption of ESG management practices.   [Background and Progress]   Amid the global expansion of ESG institutionalization and the growing emphasis on the social responsibility of public institutions, the need for systematic ESG management among public institutions has become increasingly evident. While many public institutions recognize the importance of ESG management*, they face challenges in introducing ESG practices due to limited experience and institutional capacity.   * A total of 288 public institutions (84.0%) indicated the need for ESG guidelines. (MOEF, May 2025)   In addition, although a wide range of ESG standards exists both domestically and internationally, there has been no ESG standard specifically designed to public institutions with a strong public-service mandate. Moreover, ESG-related information disclosed via the All Public Information In-One (ALIO) system has been presented mainly in the form of quantitative indicators, making it difficult for the general public to fully understand.   Accordingly, with the aim of developing ESG guidelines tailored to public institutions, a working-level task force comprising ESG experts from public institutions, research institutes, and academia was launched in March 2025, and in-depth discussions have since been underway. During the process, a broad review was conducted of domestic and international ESG standards and related research findings, and diverse input from field practitioners was also incorporated to enhance applicability for public institutions. In particular, public institutions with operational responsibility for each key indicator participated directly in the indicator development process, with efforts made to ensure a balanced reflection of institutional conditions and circumstances.   [Key Features]   The Public Institutions ESG Guidelines (hereafter “the Guidelines”) set out sub-indicators across the environmental (E), social (S), and governance (G) pillars that reflect the social roles and responsibilities of public institutions. Notably, the social (S) pillar includes indicators directly related to people’s daily lives, such as safety management, support for work-life balance, and performance in mutually beneficial procurement, thereby highlighting the unique functions of public institutions, unlike other ESG frameworks.   The Guidelines were designed primarily around indicators commonly applicable to all public institutions, while also presenting more advanced indicators, such as those related to climate risk and biodiversity, as voluntary disclosure indicators. Furthermore, by incorporating not only quantitative metrics for each indicator but also each institution’s level of achievement against its targets, its efforts and performance in pursuing those targets, and its future plans, the Guidelines are expected to make a significant contribution to enhancing public understanding of ESG management by public institutions.   Making full use of existing ALIO disclosures and statutory disclosure materials, the Guidelines are structured to serve as a practical manual for the preparation of ESG management reports by public institutions. They classify each indicator into mandatory and voluntary categories in consideration of differences in institutional capacity, and also provide illustrative examples of reporting.   [Key Points]   The Public Institutions ESG Guidelines comprise a total of 37 key indicators and 80 sub-indicators across the three ESG pillars to support public institutions in pursuing sustainable management that takes environmental, social, and governance considerations into account.      Structure of the Public Institutions ESG Guidelines   Category Key Content Overview ▶ Covers the establishment and disclosure of ESG goals, including the formulation of objectives and strategies, stakeholder engagement, and materiality assessment. Environmental (E) ▶ Achieves a balance between environmental protection and social and economic needs   - Comprises a total of 13 indicators and 16 sub-indicators related to environmental factors such as greenhouse gas emissions, energy, and waste Social (S) ▶ Strengthens institutional social responsibility in areas such as safety, labor, human rights, and shared growth   - Comprises a total of 14 indicators and 38 sub-indicators for social responsibility, including labor, human rights protection, diversity, and social contribution Governance (G) ▶ Establishes a transparent governance structure through enhanced management transparency and ethical operations   - Comprises a total of 10 indicators and 26 sub-indicators covering board composition and activities, gender diversity, and internal audit functions across public institutions * Components by indicator: Rationale for selection, definition, basis for preparation / relevant laws and regulations, applicable institutions, key disclosure items, and examples of disclosure   [Future Plans]   As a first step toward supporting the facilitation of ESG management in public institutions, the Public Institutions ESG Guidelines will be followed by continued policy support to ensure the early establishment and wider adoption of ESG management systems across public institutions.   First, the Guidelines will be continuously revised and refined based on updates to international standards as well as feedback from experts and public institutions. In addition, drawing on the Guidelines, the Government plans to expand and systematize ESG disclosure items and strengthen linkages with ESG-related evaluation criteria in the management performance assessment framework.   Along with it, the Government intends to analyze ESG management information and publish a compilation of best practices, thereby facilitating the dissemination and sharing of management performance outcomes. Please refer to the attached files.