It turned out that more than half of about 30 rare metals used across Korea's advanced industries, including semiconductors and secondary batteries, depend on China.
According to data titled "Share of major import countries for critical minerals, 2020–2024," submitted by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Korea Mine Rehabilitation and Mineral Resources Corporation (KOMIR) to Rep. Lee Jae-gwan of the Trade. Industry Energy. SMEs. and Startups Committee of the Democratic Party of Korea on the 5th, as of last year 16 out of 31 rare metals were imported from China.
China accounted for 65% of total imports of lithium, a key raw material for cathode materials, one of the four main materials for secondary batteries, and 78% and 63% of niobium and silicon, essential materials and supplies for semiconductors, came from China, respectively.
Dependence on China was also high for key materials such as gallium (98%), graphite (97%), indium (93%), and magnesium (84%). In the case of bismuth, a pharmaceutical ingredient, virtually all of it was imported from China.
Supply instability at home is mounting due to China's controls on exports of critical minerals. The industry ministry classifies supply-demand conditions into five levels by comprehensively analyzing trends in critical mineral prices, changes in import volumes, and industry issues, and last year, for the first time since statistics began in 2018, it issued emergency supply level 2.
Rep. Lee Jae-gwan said, "As the U.S.-China trade hegemony competition intensifies, China is weaponizing even rare earths and laying bare its resource hegemonism," and added, "It is time to pursue measures to diversify supply chains concentrated in specific countries such as China and to invest in overseas resource development and recycling technologies."