‘Botjim·Deungjim Jangsu’ Hosts Online Export and ‘Untact Dongmyeong Bobusang Competition’

Dongmyeong University Specialty 'Dongmyeong Bobusang' This Year Untact Online
Overseas Buyer Discovery, Product Promotion, Export Sales Competition

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] The 'Bobusang,' who carried food and goods on their backs, has come into the untact online era.

The 'Busang (負商),' who carried loads on their backs, have been commercial traders and merchants pioneering markets and trade routes from the Three Kingdoms period, with Bobusang operating since the Silla period, traveling between domestic regions and the Chinese border, handling logistics and distribution.

The spirit of market pioneering by Bobusang has been realized through a university program called 'Dongmyeong Bobusang' at Dongmyeong University. This year marks its 10th anniversary.

Dongmyeong University (President Jeong Hong-seop) LINC+ Project Group (Director Shin Dong-seok) Corporate Collaboration Center is holding the 'Untact Online Dongmyeong Bobusang Competition' this year to help family companies struggling with exports and overseas market development due to COVID-19.

Every year, the 'Dongmyeong Bobusang' program has been conducted through overseas field activities, but this year, due to COVID-19, face-to-face activities such as interpreting at overseas exhibitions and finding buyers became impossible.

Dongmyeong University changed the competition format to support family companies' overseas market development and enhance students' global capabilities through online overseas buyer discovery and product promotion.

The competition targets products from five family companies: Nanotech Ceramics (functional shoes), Yumera Cosmetic (cosmetics), Giwon Solutec (oxygen supply devices), Ttakko (gun tissue), and Korea System (masks). These products are sold overseas by 'online Bobusang.'

Teams receive bonus points if they directly visit companies and proceed with exports. Using brochures or video materials introducing family company products, online activities for about two months will be conducted to discover overseas buyers and promote products.

If connections with overseas buyers are made, plans are in place to link with family companies to realize actual exports. Special lectures will also be held during the competition period to help participating students understand.

Prizes include scholarships of 3 million KRW for 1 grand prize team (President's Award), 1 million KRW for 2 excellent teams (President's Award), and 500,000 KRW for 4 encouragement teams (LINC+ Project Group Director's Award) to encourage outstanding student activities.

Director Shin Dong-seok said, "It is regrettable that the original Dongmyeong Bobusang program, which has supported family companies' overseas exports for 10 years, was suspended due to COVID-19, but by achieving results in online overseas buyer discovery and product promotion, export opportunities will open for family companies, and a new turning point will be created for students to develop untact global capabilities."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.