A delegation of eight Korean consumer goods companies, dispatched by the Korea International Trade Association (KITA), visited Morocco and the United Arab Emirates from October 26-29. The firms operate in cosmetics, medical supplies, hair care, and food. In Morocco, the delegation focused on Casablanca, where they held one-on-one export talks with over 10 local distributors, including retail giant Carrefour.
The Korea-Morocco business consultation, co-hosted by KITA and the Casablanca office of the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), was a key event during the visit. A Korea-Morocco Economic Cooperation Seminar was also held with the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM), where local investment opportunities and market entry strategies were presented. The Moroccan Investment and Export Development Agency participated in the seminar, highlighting the country's potential as a manufacturing and export base.
The Korean delegation then moved to Rabat, where KITA Executive Vice Chairman Lee In-ho met with a senior Moroccan industry official to discuss the trade relationship. According to Korean sources, Lee met with Ryad Mezzour, Morocco's minister of industry, trade, investment, and the digital economy, or Fadel Youssef, a director general of industry and an assistant undersecretary at the industry ministry. The talks centered on expanding industrial cooperation and easing Korean firms' entry into the Moroccan market.
Lee In-ho described Morocco and the UAE as complementary entry points, serving as "gateways to the Middle East and to Europe and Africa," where the consumer base favorable to Korean culture is growing. Morocco's strategic trade position was a major draw, being the only African country with a free trade agreement with the United States and a free-trade zone with the European Union under an association agreement.
The visit signals a deeper commercial track with Seoul, pairing retail-level deals in Casablanca with government talks in Rabat on a broader trade framework. The UAE leg of the trip ran in parallel, with the delegation holding one-on-one meetings with 27 buyers at the Dubai Airport Freezone, including Landmark Group, Lulu Group, Choithrams, and Al Maya Group.
Korean firms are optimistic about the Moroccan market, with demand in the Gulf region climbing quickly. Korea's K-beauty exports to the UAE rose over ninefold in five years, from $31 million in 2020 to $287 million in 2025. A Korea-UAE CEPA that took effect in May has further widened the opening for Korean goods.
Looking beyond this mission, Lee pledged continued backing for Korean exporters, committing to actively supporting K-consumer goods due to their "quality, safety and hallyu brand competitiveness" so they can expand beyond Morocco and the UAE across the wider MENA market.
Key points
- Korean consumer-goods firms are targeting Morocco as a strategic market ahead of a trade pact between Seoul and Rabat.
- The recent delegation held export talks with local distributors in Casablanca and discussed investment opportunities with Moroccan officials.
- Morocco's strategic trade position, with free trade agreements with the US and EU, makes it an attractive market for Korean firms.
