South Korea and Serbia will hold the first round of official negotiations this week regarding a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources said Monday the talks will take place in Seoul from Monday through Thursday, with about 60 officials from both sides participating.

Serbia is emerging as a manufacturing and logistics hub in the Balkans, thanks to its strategic location connecting Europe and the Middle East and its relatively low labor costs compared with those of other European nations.

The country also has abundant mineral resources, offering potential supply chain cooperation.

Throughout the four‑day negotiations, the two sides plan to discuss ten sectors, including tariff concessions, rules of origin, customs procedures and economic cooperation.

Since declaring the launch of negotiations last September, the two nations have held preliminary consultations in each sector to coordinate the structure of the agreement and the scope of key issues.