High-level talks between Cambodia and South Korea have addressed ways to strengthen and expand bilateral cooperation in key sectors.
Total trade volume between the two countries during the first ten months of 2025 reached nearly $750 million, an almost ten per cent increase over the same period last year.
South Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun, who is leading a Korean delegation on an official visit to Cambodia, met with Prime Minister Hun Manet at the Peace Palace this morning, Novemer 10.
Manet expressed his gratitude to South Korea for its active contributions to Cambodia’s social and economic reconstruction and development from the past to the present. In addition to contributing to Cambodia’s socio-economic progress, he noted that the South Korean government has also shown care and support for the many Cambodian citizens living and working in Korea.
“Cambodia considers this official visit an important opportunity to further deepen the relations and cooperation between our two nations,” he said.
During the meeting, both sides discussed cooperation in several key areas, including economy, investment, trade, defence and security, industry, people-to-people exchanges, tourism promotion and the establishment of a special economic zone for Korean enterprises. All discussions were aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation for the mutual benefit of the peoples of both countries.
According to the General Department of Customs and Excise of Cambodia (GDCE), from January to October 2025, trade between Cambodia and South Korea reached $746.69 million, a 7.7% increase compared to the same period in 2024. Of this, exports to South Korea amounted to $262.46 million (up 0.2%), while Korean imports totalled $484.22 million (up 12.2%).
This meant Cambodia recorded a deficit of $221.76 million, up from the $169.48 million recorded during the same period in 2024.
Hong Vanak, an economist at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, told The Post on November 10 that trade between Cambodia and South Korea continues to grow steadily, despite global economic challenges. He added that in the future, it is expected to rise further, as both are members of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and also have a bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
“This positive trend will likely continue, especially at a time when Cambodia and Thailand are facing border disputes, as more Korean products flow into the Cambodian market,” he said.
Regarding the trade imbalance, Vannak emphasised that although Cambodia’s exports to Korea are smaller than its imports, the country still gains substantial income from the remittances of Cambodian workers in South Korea.
