National Security Office Launches Public-Private Economic Security Task Force Meeting... Discusses Supply Chain and Core Technology Competition

Presided Over by Oh Hyunju, Third Deputy Director
Full-Scale Launch of Government-Private Sector Cooperation System for Economic Security Response

The National Security Office announced on January 21 that it has established the "Public-Private Economic Security Task Force Meeting" to enable the government and private sector to respond comprehensively to a wide range of economic security issues arising from the rapidly changing international political and economic environment. The inaugural meeting was held at the Korea Federation of SMEs, presided over by Oh Hyunju, the Third Deputy Director of the National Security Office, and attended by representatives from relevant ministries, economic organizations, companies, research institutes, and private experts.

Participants at the meeting conducted a comprehensive review of economic security issues stemming from recent changes in the international landscape, including heightened geopolitical uncertainty and intensified strategic competition among major countries over supply chains and technology. They also discussed response strategies. In particular, with a series of economic security measures such as export controls being implemented by major countries, there was consensus on the need for the government and private sector to jointly identify risk factors and strengthen response capabilities.

During the meeting, participants assessed the global economic security environment for 2026 and engaged in in-depth discussions on strengthening economic security in key areas such as enhancing supply chain resilience, securing and protecting superiority in core technologies, reinforcing international solidarity, and establishing a joint public-private response system.

The attendees agreed that, as geopolitical risks and supply chain instability become more entrenched, the stable acquisition and maintenance of competitiveness in key items and strategic technologies are critical economic security challenges. They also concurred on the necessity of responding to economic security risks through international cooperation.

Furthermore, they emphasized the importance of establishing a close communication system to ensure that government policy responses and private sector on-site actions are organically linked, including monitoring domestic and international trends and crisis signals. In particular, there was consensus that close cooperation between the government and related small and medium-sized enterprises, supported by government policies, is essential for securing stable supply chains of key items such as critical minerals.

In her opening remarks, Oh Hyunju, the Third Deputy Director of the National Security Office, stated, "As economic and security issues are merging into a single domain, the government and private sector can strengthen practical economic security capabilities by working together as one team."

The National Security Office plans to institutionalize the Public-Private Economic Security Task Force Meeting to strengthen the foundation for cooperation between national administration and corporate management in response to the new era of economic security. In addition, the office will establish a system for the ongoing monitoring and sharing of global economic security risks.