According to a report by Yonhap News Agency, South Korea has imposed a comprehensive ban on naphtha exports starting from midnight today (27th) to alleviate the domestic supply shortage of naphtha. The South Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced that the regulations on restricting naphtha exports and ensuring supply-demand stability have been published in the official gazette and implemented immediately, with a provisional period of five months. All domestically produced naphtha is prohibited from being exported, including contracted products, except in cases approved by the Minister of Industry. South Korea relies on imports for 45% of its naphtha, with 77% of these imports coming from the Middle East. Currently, about 11% of domestically produced naphtha is exported, but under the new regulations, this portion will be entirely redirected to the domestic market. (fc/w)
AASTOCKS Financial News