JEJU-DO < invest Korea

According to Yonhap News,

(SEOGWIPO = Yonhap News) South Korean business leaders from around the world kicked off a four-day gathering on Jeju Tuesday with discussions on ways to help companies on the resort island boost exports and forge closer ties with overseas entrepreneurs.

The World Federation of Overseas Korean Traders' Association (World OKTA)'s conference is the 16th of its kind and is being attended by 700 people including the governor of Jeju, lawmakers from both the ruling and opposition parties and the head of Yonhap News Agency. Yonhap is co-hosting the event in the city of Seogwipo.

At the opening ceremony that began with a silent tribute to those killed in the recent ferry disaster, the organization representing the largest Korean economic network in the world said that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) on Jeju should take full advantage of World-OKTA, which has 130 branch offices in 68 countries.

It said such moves can benefit Korean businessmen abroad and as well as local SMEs.

During the World-OKTA event, an exhibit is planned to showcase products made by Jeju SMEs that can be exported, with talks arranged between local entrepreneurs and those with overseas sales networks. Participants will also hold seminars and lecture sessions on global governance and the latest business trends.

The organization added that the gathering can be utilized to highlight the numerous tourist and investment opportunities on Jeju.

Delivering a welcoming speech, Yonhap's president Song Hyun-seung stressed that the reason why South Korea has joined the ranks of rich countries is due in large part to the entrepreneurs who overcame hardships to create business all over the world.

He said South Korea's premier news agency will use its 60 correspondents in 45 countries to highlight the achievements of overseas Korean entrepreneurs.

Participants at the gathering started collecting donations for the Sewol ferry disaster, with the money to be delivered to victims and their families through Yonhap.

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