Industry minister inspects manufacturing operations amid petrochem supply woes

Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan, third from right, speaks with officials during his visit to SP Samhwa's manufacturing plant, which produces paints for ships, automobiles and housing, in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, Monday. The minister inspected production sites of key industrial goods, medical supplies and daily necessities to assess the potential for supply disruptions and discuss the government’s response measures amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Joint Press Corps

Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan on Monday inspected manufacturing operations of daily necessities amid concerns over the supply of petrochemical feedstocks due to the ongoing Middle East conflict.

Kim toured four companies producing materials used in syringe, food packaging, paint and semiconductor components in an industrial complex in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources.

The visit comes as disruptions to the supply of key raw materials, such as naphtha and other petrochemical inputs, have intensified since U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran in late February, as the Strait of Hormuz, a major Middle Eastern shipping route, has been effectively shut down.

During the visit, Kim inspected the production and supply status of petrochemical products closely linked to public welfare and key industries.

He expressed the government's commitment to strictly managing essential health and medical supplies and called for industry cooperation to stabilize the supply and prices of paint products.

"We are giving top priority to ensuring that there is not even a single day of disruption in the supply chains of health care, daily necessities and key national industries," Kim was quoted by the ministry as saying.

The ministry said it is currently monitoring inventory levels and supply trends on a daily basis through a dedicated task force of about 40 officials.