South Korea and Germany share the goal of diversifying away from China, broadening their raw material suppliers and reducing their dependence on critical products, German Economy Minister Robert Habeck said on Thursday during a visit to the region. "South Korea has a similar economic policy to Germany, it focuses on trade," Habeck said in Seoul. "It is a country that relies on markets being open and protectionist tendencies being pushed back as far as possible," he added.

Habeck is in South Korea on the first leg of a trip to Asia, seeking to deepen ties with the region's fourth-largest economy as Berlin aims to "de-risk" its trade exposure to China. (Reporting by Maria Martinez Editing by Madeline Chambers)