USGC Chairman Takes Part In Seoul Mobility Show, Highlights U.S. Ethanol’s Advantages

The 11-day Seoul Mobility Show in Seoul, South Korea, wrapped up over the weekend after a successful run for the U.S. Grains Council’s (USGC’s) annual event booth. In addition to USGC staff in South Korea, USGC Chairman Josh Miller joined the trade show, sharing the benefits of U.S. ethanol with Mobility Show visitors, as well as local press, government and ethanol stakeholders in the country.

“Josh’s visit to the mobility show received great attention from the major media as well as the organizers of the Seoul Mobility Show, and his media interviews and meetings with the organizer and Vice Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy not only helped the Korean office to promote fuel ethanol from the show, but also prepared an opportunity to discuss future cooperation with the Korean government. In addition, through a meeting with the newly inaugurated Chairman of the Korea Feed Association, it was agreed to continue mutual cooperation for the expansion of exports and stable supply of U.S. corn and co-products,” said Haksoo Kim, USGC director in South Korea.

The Council’s Korea office held various events for the nearly 4,000 attendees at its booth this year, including a survey on the need for an ethanol renewable fuel standard (RFS); a hashtag event using an E10 fuel pump model; and a quiz on the climate crisis and fuel ethanol. The survey results showed that 81.1% of respondents agreed the Korean government should introduce an ethanol policy.

Additionally, staff used this year’s event to focus on urging the government’s pilot ethanol supply project to proceed successfully according to the biofuel expansion plan announced by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy in October 2022, while publicizing the necessity of introducing an ethanol RFS policy.

“The Council’s Korea office plans to improve the government’s awareness of fuel ethanol by widely disseminating the results of the ethanol survey and other results of the Seoul Mobility Show through the media. We will continue our efforts to publicize that ethanol is the most realistic and effective carbon reduction solution through various programs and support the government’s pilot ethanol distribution project in 2024 so the ethanol policy can be introduced in 2026,” Kim said.

While at the show, Miller helped the Korean office with their ethanol promotional efforts as well as feed grain business, highlighting corn and distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS). Miller had the opportunity to meet with the new chairman of the Korea Feed Association and the Vice Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy; emphasized the need to introduce ethanol and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) polices to nearly 10 major Korean media outlets; and met with the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) Seoul officials to discuss on Korea’s corn, DDGS and ethanol markets.

The Council’s Korean office is planning to expand its target not only to automobile ethanol but also to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) this year. In July, the Council will hold a climate crisis and bio-ethanol symposium jointly with FAS Seoul and the Automobile Journalists Association to urge the Korean government to introduce policies on SAF and automobile ethanol. Subsequently, the Council will work to accelerate the introduction of ethanol and SAF policies by the Korean government by utilizing the ethanol advisory group’s visit to the United States and the Global Ethanol Summit in Washington, D.C., this year.