South Africa’s efforts to deepen trade relations with Asia came into focus during the Doing Business with South Korea webinar, hosted by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) in partnership with the South African Embassy in South Korea.
The session positioned South Korea as a strategic market for local exporters, particularly small businesses operating in agriculture and agro-processing. At its core, the engagement was framed as part of a broader effort to use trade as a tool to expand market access, reduce inequality and integrate South African SMMEs into global value chains.
“South Africa is now scaling to improve creativity and quality standards and expanding market access for products in the agricultural sector and agro processing for small businesses in the global value chain, where we focus on raising wine, fruits, and meat,” said Khantse Sekatawa, the first Secretary at the South African Embassy, Seoul.
South Korean buyers are actively seeking South African products, particularly in fruit and wine. This demand reflects South Korea’s appetite for high-quality imports, creating a potential entry point for local producers.
However, participation remains uneven, particularly among smaller producers without export capacity.
Wine exports highlight the cost barrier
The wine sector emerged as a clear example of both opportunity and constraint.
South Korean importers are reportedly exploring partnerships with South African producers, but logistics costs continue to undermine competitiveness. Much of the country’s export infrastructure is concentrated around major ports such as Cape Town and Durban, creating additional transport burdens for producers located further inland.
Industry leaders say these pressures continue to limit smaller players.
Lebone Mabotha from the Northern Cape, who is in the dry fruit sector, highlighted the structural challenges facing exporters.
“Smaller producers often struggle with the cost of getting their products to market and competing internationally, especially when it comes to logistics and maintaining consistent supply,” Mabotha said.
Trade as a tool for inclusion
South Africa’s alignment with South Korea is being positioned as part of a broader effort to create inclusive growth through trade.
Multilateral institutions have also emphasised the importance of addressing non-tariff barriers for small exporters.
Kwanele Mkhwanazi, a Director of Export Development and Support, has warned that compliance and cost barriers disproportionately affect smaller firms.
“For small businesses, non-tariff measures such as standards, certification and customs procedures can be more restrictive than tariffs themselves.”
