'Made in Korea' becomes a must as supply chains collapse

As the coronavirus pandemic hit the global economy and manufacturing hubs like China went into lockdown, the extent to which Korea relies on foreign suppliers very quickly became clear.

The shutdown of factories abroad triggered shortages of parts for major manufacturers in Korea, pushing companies like Hyundai Motor to suspend factory operations back in February.

That production stopping on the other side of the world could so quickly bring Korean manufacturers to their knees exposed just how important localizing suppliers is. Producing essential parts and materials at home was a hot-button political issue even before Covid-19 arrived, after Japan imposed restrictions on exports to Korea of three key materials last year.