South Korea has worked to secure and diversify its critical minerals supply chains amid intensifying competition between the U.S. and China, Russia’s war against Ukraine and other disruptions.

These resources, including cobalt, copper and rare earths, to name a few, are integral to the nation’s economic prosperity and safeguarding of national security.

South Korea will likely pursue a “de-risking” strategy to achieve this goal. Domestic initiatives, the formation of international partnerships and targeted investments will undergird this approach, while policymakers seek to avoid excessive reliance on any single country for critical minerals.

However, several challenges lie ahead. These include South