USGC, USDA promote fuel ethanol in South Korea

In Washington, D.C., the U.S. Grains Council staff is working with U.S. government officials in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service to support South Korean government and industry as they discuss the use of ethanol as a fuel alternative.

South Korea currently ranks as the fifth largest international market for U.S. ethanol but only imports ethanol for industrial uses. To promote ethanol blending into fuel, the Council and USDA’s FAS recently conducted the fourth annual Bioethanol Fuel Promotion Conference in Seoul, South Korea. The workshop featured a report on the South Korean biofuels situation, a panel discussion between U.S. and Korean industry officials, perspective from the Japanese biofuels policy changes and the positive impacts of ethanol on air quality, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions and cost savings.

U.S. ethanol accounts for roughly 73 percent of the overall industrial ethanol market in South Korea, used for the production of ethyl acetate, ethyl acrylate, washer liquid and other products.

While U.S. ethanol is used solely for beverage and industrial uses, the South Korean government is working on research into the viability of a national biofuels policy that could provide expanded market opportunities. The Council continues to work with U.S. government officials to support Korean government and industry as they discuss the use of ethanol as a fuel alternative.