Martial Arts and ASEAN 10 Ambassadors Invited to 'Business Networking Event'

At the networking event hosted by the Korea International Trade Association on the 19th at the Grand Walkerhill Hotel in Gwangjin-gu, Chairman Koo Ja-yeol of the Trade Association is delivering a congratulatory speech to the ambassadors of the 10 ASEAN countries in Korea.

[Asia Economy Reporter Jin-ho Kim] The Korea International Trade Association (KITA) announced on the 20th that it held a networking event inviting ambassadors from the 10 ASEAN countries in Korea.

The event, held the previous day at the Grand Walkerhill Hotel in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, was attended by KITA Chairman Koo Ja-yeol, Vice Chairman Lee Kwan-seop, as well as presidents of member companies such as SeAH Steel, Exicon, and Metabiomed. Also present were ambassadors from the 10 ASEAN countries including Laos, Myanmar, Brunei, Singapore, Vietnam, the Philippines, Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia.

They discussed business networking and ways to develop future cooperative relations during the event.

In his opening remarks, KITA Chairman Koo Ja-yeol said, “Korea and ASEAN have developed as one community over the past half-century, turning crises into opportunities,” and expressed gratitude, saying, “The active external activities of the resident ambassadors and their efforts to foster friendship and goodwill with Korea have been key to the successful cooperation between ASEAN and Korea so far.”

He added, “Going forward, the association will spare no effort to support active exchanges and economic cooperation with the ASEAN region.”

Trade between Korea and ASEAN has grown continuously over the past decade, from $124.9 billion in 2011 to $176.5 billion in 2021. This year, Korea-ASEAN trade recorded an all-time high of $71.6 billion as of April.

Kim Hyun-chul, head of KITA’s Global Cooperation Division, stated, “In the second half of the year, we plan to carry out various cooperative projects including the 30th anniversary event of Korea-Vietnam diplomatic relations, the Korea-Mekong Business Forum, consultation meetings with the 10 ASEAN countries, and dispatching economic delegations.”