South Korea extends naphtha export restrictions up to January 2027
South Korea will maintain restrictions on naphtha exports for five more months from 27 August amid Middle East geopolitical uncertainties. Exports are prohibited unless approved by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources when the material cannot be used domestically or would not affect domestic supply. From January to July 2026, exports fell to 1.07 million tonnes from 2.2 million in the same period in 2025.
Why it matters: This affects global energy supply chains and trade policy, a key theme in the geoeconomics briefing.