The Korea Ready-mixed Concrete Industry Cooperative Federation said it invited a delegation from the Japan National Ready-Mixed Concrete Industry Cooperative Federation and held the "2026 Korea-Japan ready-mixed concrete federations meeting" on the 20th at the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Enterprises in Yeouido, Seoul.
The meeting was arranged as a follow-up to the memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed in Tokyo in Nov. last year for the development of the Korea-Japan ready-mixed concrete industry. It focused on sharing the structural challenges facing the ready-mixed concrete sectors of both countries and fleshing out cooperation plans.
Attending the event from Korea were Chair Bae Jo-ung of the Korea Ready-mixed Concrete Industry Cooperative Federation and the chairs of member cooperatives nationwide, while from Japan, Chair Saito Shoichi of the Japan National Ready-Mixed Concrete Industry Cooperative Federation and executives from regional federations were present. Key figures representing the ready-mixed concrete industries of both countries gathered to discuss industry issues.
The meeting featured broad exchange of views on major agenda items across the ready-mixed concrete industry, including ▲ Korea-Japan ready-mixed concrete sales structures ▲ restructuring of the ready-mixed concrete industry and market-stabilization measures ▲ raw material supply and pricing systems ▲ technological innovation and carbon-neutral responses ▲ workforce supply and quality-control systems.
In particular, Japan's joint sales operations, a delivery price indexation system, and a nationwide integrated quality-control system were discussed. While comparing and reviewing institutional differences between Korea and Japan, participants converged on drawing lessons applicable to the domestic industry and exploring future cooperation opportunities.
Chair Bae Jo-ung said, "I hope this meeting will be a starting point for jointly seeking solutions amid the crisis facing the ready-mixed concrete industries of both countries," adding, "We will pursue tangible outcomes through ongoing regular exchanges going forward."
Chair Saito Shoichi said, "The Korea-Japan ready-mixed concrete industries differ in structure and environment, but the concerns and challenges facing the sectors are very similar," adding, "I hope this meeting will lead to expanded cooperation in various fields, including technology, systems, and human exchanges."
The Korea Ready-mixed Concrete Industry Cooperative Federation plans to use this meeting to build a regular communication channel between the Korea-Japan ready-mixed concrete industries and to flesh out practical cooperation models that can jointly respond to changes in the global industrial environment and the carbon-neutral era.