South Korea is a key market for BC wood products, diversifying export risk for the provincial forest sector. The nation’s reliance on imported softwood, combined with government support for green building and the Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement, creates ongoing opportunities for B.C. wood products. Additionally, value-added wood products present niche market potential.
Supported by FII, the Canada Wood Group leads market development programming in South Korea and continues work to expand opportunities for Canadian forest products, particularly in the construction sector. Efforts are focused on removing barriers to wood use, identifying and supporting market opportunities for Canadian wood products and developing and maintaining industry relationships.
A growing partnership positions Canadian wood solutions at the centre of South Korea’s shift to lower-carbon and higher-density housing.
New government policies are promoting prefabricated off-site building to address labour shortages and improve construction quality. These policies create a significant opening for wood, as prefabricated wood systems can accelerate and streamline the construction process.
Korea Land and Housing Corporation—the country’s largest public housing provider and one of its most influential construction authorities—is advancing this agenda by studying the use of wood panelization as an alternative to precast concrete in off-site construction. If implemented, the impact on wood demand could be significant, opening opportunities across a large share of Korea’s multi-family and higher-density housing markets.
This work was advanced significantly during the forest sector Asian mission in November 2025 with the signing of a trilateral MOU between Canada Wood, FII and the Korea Land and Housing Corporation’s research arm, the Land and Housing Research Institute. The MOU establishes a platform for technical co-operation to introduce and scale Canadian wood construction systems in Korea, with a focus on energy efficiency, environmental performance, and seismically resilient and fire-safe building solutions.
Priority initiatives include validating two-hour fire resistance for wood frame walls, floors and cross-laminated timber (CLT) assemblies; meeting Korea’s stringent sound requirements; developing CLT engineering and permitting models; and establishing off-site construction-based wall, floor and roof systems suitable for public housing.
Ongoing work to support building code changes is an important part of the market development program, as it opens up new markets to wood use. For example, a recent building code change in South Korea, facilitated by Canada Wood, will open up the low-rise multi-family (apartment) residential market to wood construction. Previously, due to concerns about sound passing between units, regulations required thick concrete floors in multi-family residential buildings of three to four stories (the Dagagu and Dasaedae markets). This made wood-frame construction less competitive to other building systems.
Industry professionals thought the regulation went too far, but lacked a coordinated response. Canada Wood helped the industry build a case for change, including technical input from the National Institute of Forest Science, and industry support from the Korean Wood Construction Association.
Regulators accepted the new research and changed the code. Since the multi-family sector makes up 80 percent of all new home construction, this change is a significant win for Canada Wood.
Mass timber construction is quickly gaining interest in South Korea, with an increasing number of architects and developers interested in the technology. Capacity, however, has been an issue as there are limited facilities and skilled workers. This, in turn, impacts sales of wood products. Canada Wood closed this gap by introducing builders to nail laminated timber (NLT) using BC softwood, a construction approach that can be ramped up much faster than other systems. This gave BC an edge over foreign competitors in supplying mass timber.
With supply established, Canada Wood then worked with local officials on several high-profile NLT buildings at Jinju City, one of the first uses of mass timber in South Korea. The comprehensive urban redevelopment has won a number of national awards for building design and is a showcase for wood’s potential as a sustainable, cost-effective alternative to concrete and steel.
This partnership firmly established BC as a leader in mass timber technology and the sustainably sourced softwood needed to prefabricate mass timber building components.
BC Wood is creating opportunities for value-added manufacturers to make inroads into the growing Korean market.
A multi-pronged market development mission to Korea—spanning a major trade show, site visits and targeted seminars—gave B.C. value-added wood product manufacturers direct access to buyers and the market intelligence needed to expand their presence in the country.
Korea represents a significant opportunity for B.C. value-added wood products. Long-term demand for single-family 2×4 homes outside urban areas, greater emphasis on structural and aesthetic quality, the increase use of wood in non-residential projects and an emerging market for high-end resort developments—where Korean developers are studying successful models like Whistler—are all creating favourable conditions for B.C. manufacturers.
BC Wood’s presence at Korea Build Week put five B.C. manufacturers in front of buyers at the country’s largest building and materials show to establish the connections that can lead to new business. The participating B.C. companies—representing lumber, high-end finishing materials, advanced home packages and mass timber—saw steady traffic throughout the four-day event.
The manufacturers also visited potential customers at their sites to learn more about what Korean buyers are looking for and to identify emerging opportunities in prefabrication, modular housing and sustainable construction. These discussions provided essential market intelligence that will help companies tailor their sales strategies.
