Open Export Routes Amid COVID-19... Largest Ever 'Online Export Industry Expo' Opens

Participation of 8,000 Domestic and International Companies... Ongoing Until the 15th

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Hye-young] The largest-ever "2021 Korea Online Export Industry Expo," with a total of 8,000 companies participating both domestically and internationally, opened on the 1st.

Hosted by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and organized by KOTRA and the Korea Exhibition Industry Promotion Association, this event is an online marketing project featuring 3,000 domestic small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and approximately 5,000 overseas buyers, running until the 15th of this month.

The Online Export Industry Expo proceeds in the order of △ digital content production △ online product exhibition △ large-scale online consultations with overseas buyers.

Digital content such as promotional videos and electronic catalogs have been supported by KOTRA since last October and are currently exhibited on the official "Industry Expo" website and KOTRA’s online B2B platform, BuyKorea.

Starting with the online opening ceremony, large-scale online consultations between overseas buyers discovered by all of KOTRA’s overseas trade centers (a total of 127) and domestic companies will continue throughout the 15-day event. Professional interpreters will be assigned to facilitate smooth consultations. Unboxing events featuring influencers with high recognition in overseas markets such as China and Southeast Asia will also be held. Through this, the plan is to effectively promote products of domestic companies, export beginners, and small business enterprises overseas.

Company A, a manufacturer of industrial materials, stated, "With business trips blocked due to COVID-19, overseas sales were uncertain, but we expect good results through consultations at this ‘Online Export Industry Expo.’"

At the "Digital Marketing Plaza Forum," held as a side event on the 30th of last month at the JW Marriott Hotel in Seoul, KOTRA and various experts participated as speakers to present marketing strategies, business models, and successful cases of companies in the digital trade era.

The "International Seminar on Exhibition Design Trends and Job Counseling" for the domestic exhibition installation industry will also be held on the 2nd of this month at Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) in Seoul. Professors from domestic design departments and the president of the American Exhibition Association will speak to discuss changes in design trends in the global exhibition installation industry. Job counseling between design students from seven universities and domestic exhibition industry companies will also take place.

Meanwhile, KOTRA has prepared an "Online Marketing Education Program" to introduce overseas marketing methods using digital content to domestic companies.

Yoo Jung-yeol, president of KOTRA, said, "Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the digital transformation of trade methods has been progressing rapidly. Through this ‘Korea Online Export Industry Expo,’ we will do our best to support the digital transformation of our domestic companies, export beginners, and small business enterprises so that they can confidently leap forward as export entities."

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