KITA Held 'The 8^th Korea-Mekong Business Forum'

- Sought cooperation and sustainable growth between SMEs in Korea and Mekong region -

The Korea International Trade Association (Chairman: Kim Young-ju) held “The 8^th Korea-Mekong Business Forum” in Hanoi, Vietnam on December 4^th.

The event was held under the theme of 'Business Environment in the New Normal Era-Turning Crisis into Opportunity'. Over 150 individuals participated in the online and offline events, including Cho Hak-hee, the head of International Affairs Group at the Korea International Trade Association, Lee Tae-ho, Second Vice Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, officials from the governments and economic organizations from five Mekong countries, such as Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam, and Korean business people who run local businesses in the region. 

Cho Hak-hee, the head of International Affairs Group at the Korea International Trade Association, said, “Since the 2^nd Korea-Mekong Summit in the the form of a video conference held in November upgraded the relationship between the two countries to a 'strategic partnership', the scope of cooperation will expand in the future” and added, “Public-private partnership is crucial to achieve win-win prosperity as well as sustainable growth between Korean-Mekong small and medium businesses and to overcome COVID-19 crisis.” 

In the following forum, presentations on new challenges and opportunities faced by SMEs, and win-win and growth between companies in Korea and Mekong region, and discussions on successful cases of cooperation and plans for cooperation were carried out. In the consultation session held on the same day, 20 Korean companies attended and conducted online meetings for export consultation with 30 buyers from 5 Mekong countries.

Meanwhile, the Korea International Trade Association is taking the lead in supporting overseas business activities for Korean entrepreneurs. The body established a council of Korean-Mekong entrepreneurs with five Mekong economic groups in December last year. In July of this year, the association delivered a joint proposal with the economic groups of five Mekong countries to the government of each country with a view to introducing fast track between Korea and Mekong five countries.