Jongno-gu Partners with SBA to Help K-Jewelry Enter the Global Market

by Kim Minjin

Published 21 Apr.2026 07:51(KST)

Joint Operation of the "Seoul Jongno Pavilion" at the Vicenzaoro Exhibition in Italy

Jongno-gu, Seoul (District Mayor Jung Moonhun), is joining hands with the Seoul Business Agency (SBA) to support Korean jewelry brands in entering overseas markets.

On April 20, Jongno-gu announced that it had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with SBA for the "Joint Operation of the Vicenzaoro Exhibition in Italy." The district also began recruiting outstanding jewelry designer brands aimed at entering the global market, as of April 21.

The ceremony of the business agreement between Jongno-gu and Seoul Business Agency on the 20th. Provided by Jongno-gu.

Korea's domestic jewelry industry possesses advanced technology but suffers from a lack of brand recognition, resulting in imports being about 3.7 times higher than exports and leading to a worsening trade deficit. With recent increases in the prices of raw materials such as gold and silver, there is a growing need to transition to a high value-added industry.

The Vicenzaoro Exhibition in Italy, where the participants will showcase their work, is the world's largest jewelry trade fair with a tradition spanning 70 years. Every year, approximately 35,000 people from 145 countries attend, and more than 1,300 companies from 36 countries participate. Jongno-gu participated in this exhibition for the first time in January, facilitating more than 130 buyer meetings. In the same month, the district also signed a business agreement with IEG (Italian Exhibition Group), the organizer of the fair.

Jongno-gu and SBA will jointly operate a 30-square-meter "Seoul Jongno Pavilion" in the "LOOK Zone," a premium design exhibition area, at the fairs scheduled for September this year and January next year. Applications for participation will be accepted through the official SBA website from April 21 to May 12. Companies selected as final participants will receive support worth 15 million won per company, including provision of an exhibition booth, export capacity-building training, and joint interpretation services.

Jongno-gu has also completed industry infrastructure-building efforts. For the first time in the jewelry industry, the "Korea Jewelry Industry Glossary"-a standardization of approximately 2,000 terms used interchangeably across all sectors, including manufacturing, crafting, design, and appraisal-has been compiled. In collaboration with the Jewelry Industry Promotion Foundation, over 30 experts held more than 80 meetings over about two years starting in July 2024 to develop the glossary. The glossary will be available for free download on the Jongno-gu website from April 27.

District Mayor Jung Moonhun stated, "Through our partnership with SBA, which brings substantial expertise, we have laid the groundwork for our companies to advance onto the global stage. With the publication of the glossary, we have also strengthened the industry's foundation, and we will continue to support the growth of K-Jewelry into a global luxury brand."