Supply Chain Security: Connecting Europe and Northeast Asia

In May 2026, the KAS Korea Office convened a program in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, bringing together policy experts and researchers from Europe and Northeast Asia to discuss supply chain security and the growing strategic importance of critical minerals. The program combined a conference with site visits and exchanges with Mongolian policymakers, researchers, and private-sector representatives. The following collection presents personal assessments from five contributors, reflecting on their key takeaways from the discussions, their evaluation of Mongolia’s role and potential in global supply chains, and the opportunities and limitations for future cooperation from the perspective of their respective countries and professional backgrounds. The collection closes with a conference report by Buyandelger Davaajantsan of the Institute for Strategic Studies, Mongolia, who offers an insider’s perspective on the conference discussions and Mongolia’s position in the evolving global critical minerals landscape. The reports include contributions from Finland, France, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom, as well as Mongolia.