S. Korea: Government seeks early lifting of U.S. ban on Taepyeong salt amid forced labour concerns
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs plans to "actively consult with the United States" every year after the 2021 salt farm forced labor incident”, 7 April 2025
The government is pushing for an early lifting of the U.S. ban on salt imports from Taepyeong Salt Farm. Taepyeong Salt Farm is the largest producer of sea salt in Korea.
The government has been pushing for improvement measures since 2021, such as conducting an annual survey on the status of salt power and expanding support for automated equipment.
In the future, efforts such as strengthening education to enhance the human rights of companies such as Taepyeong Salt Farm and salt farm workers will continue.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs plans to actively persuade the U.S. side of the government's position. An official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, "All the Taepyeong Salt Farm salts currently exported to the United States were produced regardless of forced labor."
"The government plans to actively consult with the U.S. while taking necessary measures to resolve the issue based on consultations between related ministries," he said.