RoK resumes exhibitions, fairs in Vietnam after nearly three years
The Republic of Korea (RoK)’s International Trade Association (KITA) and the Seoul-based Convention and Exhibition Centre (COEX) have said they will resume overseas exhibitions after an almost-three-year hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Those activities started with the Vietnam International Premium Products Fair (VIPREMIUM) and the 10th Vietnam International Maternity - Baby & Kids Fair (Vietbaby Fair), both opened in Ho Chi Minh City on June 2.
About 150 leading companies in beauty, health, food, and household products are taking part in VIPREMIUM 2022. Meanwhile, Vietbaby Fair sees the participation of over 100 businesses from nine countries and territories that make products for newborn babies and toddlers.
Due to the pandemic, overseas fairs held by COEX and KITA took place both in person and via videoconference in 2020 but completely online in 2021.
COEX and KITA are planning the Korea Smart Electric & Energy Fair (KOSEP) in July, the Vietbaby Fair in Hanoi in September, a franchise and retail show along with Coffee Expo Vietnam in November, and many other activities, they said.
Kim Hyun-cheol, head of the global cooperation division at KITA, noted though the Vietnamese economy faced certain stagnation in 2021 due to COVID-19, it is still attractive to Korean exporters thanks to low labour cost, simplified administrative procedures, its participation in many free trade deals, and diverse supply chains.
They plan to make use of these events as stepping stones for Korean small- and medium-sized enterprises to enter the Vietnamese market, he added.
