by Moon Chaeseok
Published 04 Dec.2023 11:00(KST)
The Korea International Trade Association announced on the 4th that it will hold the '60th Trade Day Ceremony' on the 5th at COEX in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Trade Day was originally established as 'Export Day' on November 30, 1964, to commemorate the achievement of $100 million in exports, and was renamed Trade Day in 1990. After reaching $1 trillion in trade on December 5, 2011, becoming the ninth country in the world to do so, Trade Day has been celebrated on December 5 since 2012.
This year's ceremony slogan is '60 Years of Export-Driven Nation, Korea Leaps Again!' Hyundai Motor Company received the highest Export Tower award for $30 billion. The KITA explained, "Hyundai Motor has increased its export volume by about 30% compared to the previous year as a result of continuous efforts to expand export markets."
Kia received the $20 billion Export Tower, LG Innotek the $10 billion, and Samsung SDI the $6 billion Export Tower awards respectively. A total of 1,704 companies were honored with Export Tower awards this year. Among the Export Tower awardees, 91% (1,555 companies) were small and medium-sized enterprises. By industry, the automotive sector (7.2%, 122 companies) and secondary battery sector (8.2%, 140 companies) showed significant progress.
The Export Tower is awarded when a corporation achieves a new record by surpassing a specific export performance threshold. There are a total of 49 categories. For example, a company awarded the $30 million Export Tower is one that has never before recorded annual exports exceeding $30 million and sets a new record in that year.
In the export merit category, Son Bo-ik, CEO of LX Semicon; Jeon Se-ho, Chairman of Simtek; Oh Seok-song, CEO of Meta Biomed; and Yoon Jong-chan, CEO of BMT, received the Gold Tower Industrial Medal. A total of 596 individuals received government awards and commendations. The Korea International Trade Association President's Commendation was awarded to 80 people.
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