Kim Jong-moon, head of KIC China, told the eighth World Artificial Intelligence Conference that Korean companies should actively attend exhibitions in China to 'benchmark the global and Chinese markets'. He said 'it is difficult to maintain market competitiveness if detached from China's industrial and supply chain system'. In 2025, bilateral trade reached US$331.2 billion, with South Korea remaining China's second-largest trading partner.

South Korea's global share of power batteries fell from 31.7% in 2021 to 15.3% in 2025, while Chinese companies collectively exceeded 70%. Kim said the core value of China's supply chain lies in the innovation efficiency of high-speed iteration, and Korean firms need to adapt to the intense pace of competition.

In 2025, Sino-Korean trade hit US$331.2 billion. Samsung produces 40% of its NAND flash memory in Xi'an, while SK Hynix has a significant portion of its DRAM capacity in China. Behind this deep interdependence, competition is intensifying.

The combined market share of South Korea's top three battery makers fell to 15.3%, while Chinese companies surpassed 70%, highlighting that China's supply chain has moved from low-cost to high-speed innovation. New Zealand SME owners should recognise that Asian factories are no longer cheap workshops but agile innovation engines. If you have ideas for consumer electronics or health devices, quick prototyping in the Yangtze River Delta or Pearl River Delta can significantly shorten R&D cycles.

However, diversify risk to avoid single-source dependency, and monitor supply fluctuations in key areas like semiconductors between China and South Korea that may affect equipment procurement.

Keywords: Sino-Korean trade, Korean companies, China supply chain, artificial intelligence conference, power batteries, industrial upgrade, Kim Jong-moon, industrial and supply chain, competitiveness, replacement

第八届世界人工智能大会上，韩国KIC中国代表金钟文表示，韩国企业应主动来中国参展，“对标全球及中国市场”，并警告“脱离中国产供链体系，很难维系市场竞争力”。2025年中韩贸易额达3312亿美元，韩国稳居中国第二大贸易伙伴。韩国动力电池全球份额从2021年的31.7%降至2025年的15.3%，而中国企业合计份额突破70%。

金钟文指出，中国供应链的核心价值在于高速迭代的创新效率，韩企需适应高强度的竞争节奏。

2025年中韩贸易额达3312亿美元，三星40% NAND闪存产自西安，SK海力士相当部分DRAM产能布局在华——深度嵌套背后，竞争更趋白热化。韩国电池三巨头总份额跌至15.3%，中企突破70%，凸显中国供应链已从低成本迈入高速创新通道。新西兰中小企业主需看清：亚洲工厂不再是廉价代工，而是敏捷创新引擎。

若有消费电子或健康设备创意，借助长三角珠三角的快速打样，可大幅缩短研发周期；但应分散风险，避免单一依赖，并留意中韩在芯片等关键领域的供应波动对自身设备采购的影响。

关键词: 中韩贸易, 韩国企业, 中国供应链, 人工智能大会, 动力电池, 产业升级, 金钟文, 产供链, 竞争力, 替代

AI illustration on MiDeer Observer

Source: Global Times