KOTRA Holds Mock Trade Competition for Specialized and Meister High School Students

Seven Years of Practical Training in FTA Utilization and Origin Management
Hanbok Scrunchie Norigae Wins Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Award

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) held the "5th Mock Trade Competition" for students from specialized and Meister high schools nationwide at KOTRA headquarters in Yangjae-dong, Seoul, on the 25th.

This competition, now in its seventh year, is part of the "FTA Practical Workforce Development Project." A total of 215 second-year students from 13 vocational high schools across the country participated. The students enhanced their practical skills through FTA and origin management training, acquiring certifications, and overseas training programs.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) held the 5th Mock Trade Competition for students from specialized and Meister high schools nationwide at the KOTRA headquarters on the 25th. Participants are taking a commemorative photo. Photo by KOTRA

The "Mock Trade Competition" is a program where participants experience export and import procedures firsthand to improve their FTA utilization and origin management capabilities. This year, under the theme of "Discovering Promising Export Consumer Goods," participants developed and presented export strategies that reflected trade procedures and tariff benefits.

In the preliminary round, professors of international trade and industry experts evaluated the product discovery and marketing plans. The teams that advanced to the finals checked local market responses through KOTRA's overseas regional offices. Thirteen items, including traditional dishware sets, fabric vases, and pollack magnets, made it to the finals, and the team that submitted Hanbok scrunchie norigae received the Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Award.

Additionally, two teams were selected for the KOTRA President's Award, four teams for the Digital Trade and Investment Division Director's Award, and six teams for the KOTRA Academy Director's Award.

Since 2019, KOTRA has expanded customized career development support for vocational high school students. This year, 48 trainees obtained certifications such as Origin Management Specialist, Distribution Manager, and Trade English.

Lee Junghoon, Vice President and Head of the Digital Trade and Investment Division at KOTRA, stated, "Vocational high school students nationwide are gaining hands-on experience in the field of trade and strengthening their capabilities through KOTRA programs. We will continue to support young people so they can demonstrate their competitiveness in the global trade environment."

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