South African exporters invited to join trade mission to South Korea and Japan
The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) has invited South African companies to participate in an outward selling mission to South Korea and Japan from 19 to 26 March 2027.
The mission aims to promote South African value-added goods and services in the two markets.
According to the dtic, the programme will include a business seminar, business-to-business (B2B) meetings and site visits.
The targeted sectors are green energy, critical minerals, end-of-life vehicle management, the electric vehicle (EV) battery value chain, and automotive and components.
EMIA funding support
Companies wishing to apply for Export Marketing and Investment Assistance (EMIA) funding to participate in the mission must meet the department’s eligibility requirements.
Applicants must have been in business for at least two years, have a proven business track record and be competitive in the South African market. They must also be export-ready or have exported previously and demonstrate the capacity to supply export orders resulting from the mission within the required timeframes.
Businesses must further hold a valid and active tax clearance certificate and a compliant B-BBEE certificate, between levels 1 and 8.
The dtic will provide qualifying participants with economy-class return airfare up to a predetermined maximum amount, daily accommodation on a bed-and-breakfast basis up to a predetermined maximum amount, and an excess luggage allowance of up to R2,500 per delegate for samples.
Application process and deadline
The closing date for applications is Friday, 20 November 2026.
The application documents available from the dtic include:
- Group Missions Guidelines
- Manufacturing Application Form
- Services Application Form
- Export Councils Application Forms
Applications for EMIA funding must be emailed to OSMSouthKoreaJapan2027@thedtic.gov.za.
The email subject line must contain the name of the event and its date. Applications must be submitted electronically in a ZIP folder, with only one application per email.
The dtic has stated that WeTransfer and similar file-sharing platforms will not be accepted because applications cannot be reliably tracked due to the volume of submissions received.
For EMIA enquiries, applicants can contact Ernest Selota at ESelota@thedtic.gov.za or 012 394 1995.
Export-related enquiries can be directed to Ms Munhedzi Mahosi at MMahosi@thedtic.gov.za or 012 394 5645.
