MetaBioMed and BMT Awarded Gold Tower Order of Industrial Service Merit on 'Trade Day'

Establishment of 'Trade Day' to Commemorate Achieving $100 Million in Exports in 1964
This Year Achieved 'Export Growth and Trade Balance Surplus Turnaround'
Bang Moon-kyu: "Will Fully Respond to Ensure Exports Drive Economic Growth Next Year as Well"

On the occasion of "Trade Day," four individuals including Oh Seok-song, CEO of MetaBioMed, were awarded the Gold Tower Order of Industrial Service Merit.

On the 5th, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced that it awarded 596 trade contributors who contributed to this year's export achievements. The Export Tower was presented to 1,704 export companies.

First, the highest honor, the Gold Tower Order of Industrial Service Merit, was awarded to Son Bo-ik, CEO of LX Semicon, Oh Seok-song, CEO of MetaBioMed, Jeon Se-ho, Chairman of Symtek, and Yoon Jong-chan, CEO of BMT.

In the automobile sector, which recorded the highest performance ever, Hyundai Motor Company received the $30 billion Export Tower, and Kia received the $20 billion Export Tower.

An official from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy explained, "In the semiconductor field, fabless companies received the Gold Tower Order of Industrial Service Merit for the first time, and semiconductor packaging and testing companies received the $3 billion Export Tower, showing that the semiconductor industry, our top export item, is expanding its core areas beyond DRAM and NAND. With the growth of the electric vehicle market, the advancement of companies related to secondary batteries is also remarkable, with companies producing cathode and anode materials for secondary batteries receiving honors such as the $6 billion and $3 billion Export Towers."

This year marks the 60th anniversary since Korea first surpassed $100 million in exports in 1964. Based on the remarkable growth achieved over the past 60 years by the people, companies, and government working together, the government presented the slogan for this event as "60 Years of Export and Import Nation, Korea Leaps Again," signifying a vigorous leap toward $1 trillion in exports and $2 trillion in trade.

Despite difficult external conditions such as the global high-interest rate trend, economic recession, protectionism, supply chain disruptions, and regional conflicts, with major manufacturing countries like China and Japan commonly experiencing sluggish exports, Korea's exports turned positive in October for the first time in 13 months. Earlier in June, the trade balance turned to a surplus for the first time in 16 months. Additionally, automobile exports achieved the highest annual export performance ever, and semiconductor exports turned positive last month for the first time in 16 months due to improvements in the IT industry. Agricultural food exports are also expected to set a new record, with ramen exports surpassing 1 trillion won for the first time ever.

Visit Byung-kyu, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, stated, "We will cooperate between the public and private sectors to fully respond so that our exports, which rebounded this year, continue an upward trend and lead economic growth next year."

On the 4th, executives and employees of the Korea International Trade Association are holding major export products from different eras and taking commemorative photos at COEX Plaza in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Trade Day. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

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