The government plans to dispatch delegations of local importers to China, Vietnam and 14 other countries around the world this year as part of ways to improve ties with its trading partners.

The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy said Thursday the visits will focus on countries that are demanding South Korea rectify trade imbalances or are imposing restrictions on Korean imports. The visits will also seek out new sources of cheap and good-quality raw materials.

In particular, the delegation will plan to visit China five times, the ministry said.

The trips, which first began in 2002, serve the dual purposes of promoting the government’s will to reflect changes in the trade imbalance and diversify import sources.