KOTRA to Host 'Korea-Australia Business Plaza' Until the 18th of Next Month

[Asia Economy Reporter Suyeon Woo] KOTRA announced on the 19th that it will hold the comprehensive event supporting entry into the Australian market, '2021 Han-Australia Business Plaza,' from the 1st to the 18th of next month. This event was planned to revitalize trade between the two countries in celebration of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and Australia, and four detailed events in promising sectors will be held sequentially.

First, from the 1st to the 5th of next month, the 'Han-Australia Business Online Consultation' will take place. Export consultations will be conducted focusing on promising sectors with high demand from Australian buyers such as construction, medical, and machinery, and depending on the marketability of domestic companies' products, opportunities for consultations with buyers from Southeast Asia and the Oceania region will also be provided.

On the 3rd, the 'Australian Water Industry Entry Strategy Webinar' will be held. The Australian market is expected to open new business opportunities due to the rapid increase in demand for related parts and equipment caused by the aging of water supply and sewage pipes installed across its vast territory. Speakers from the Australian Water Industry Association, regional public enterprises, and distribution companies will provide useful information on entering the Australian water industry.

Following that, on the 9th, the 'Australia Employment Homecoming Day and Recruitment Consultation' will be held. Seniors who have succeeded in employment in Australia in various fields will share their experiences and know-how about employment, and representatives from Australian companies struggling with labor shortages will introduce their companies, offering beneficial programs for job seekers.

On the last day, the 18th, the 'Han-Australia Green New Deal Cooperation Seminar and Investment IR' event, co-hosted by the Korean Embassy in Australia and KOTRA, will be held. The seminar will review the current status and cooperation plans of green industries such as hydrogen and renewable energy, which are recognized as major cooperation areas between the two countries. Furthermore, actual overseas expansion cases of small and medium-sized enterprises in the green industry will be analyzed. Additionally, an investment IR session introducing major green projects of Australian state governments and Korea's excellent green industry investment environment is also scheduled.

Recently, Australia, the sixth largest country in the world by territory, has been aggressively expanding large-scale solar and wind power plants to achieve the Paris Agreement's carbon reduction targets. Moreover, the Australian government is promoting green hydrogen production and export using surplus electricity as a national strategy, and Korea has strengths in commercializing the hydrogen industry based on excellent technologies such as hydrogen mobility and fuel cells, so significant synergy effects are expected from cooperation between the two countries.

This event is being promoted in collaboration with Korean diplomatic missions in Australia, including the Korean Embassy in Australia and the Consulate General in Sydney, and in addition to KOTRA's Sydney and Melbourne trade centers, trade centers in Southeast Asia and the Oceania region will also provide support. Considering the restrictions on movement between Korea and Australia due to COVID-19, the event venue will also be operated through the metaverse.

Kim Byung-ho, head of KOTRA Sydney Trade Center, said, "I hope this event will serve as an opportunity to further activate trade in promising sectors such as hydrogen, water industry, consumer goods, construction, and medical, and furthermore become a catalyst for future cooperation between Korea and Australia."