Main Activities - KOTRA

kotra: Domestic customer, Overseas corporations

CEO Message - KOTRA

Greetings from KOTRA.

Since its establishment in 1962 as part of Korea’s first 5-year Economic Plan, KOTRA has worked to create new export markets. We added an investment promotion focus in the late 1990s, supporting Korea as it overcame the Asian financial crisis. Since then, we have taken on new and expanding roles to support Korean companies expanding overseas, to attract foreign professionals, to fulfill our corporate social responsibility (CSR) and to create jobs overseas.
With the vision to be a “global business platform,” we remain devoted today to strengthening the global capabilities of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), to helping Korea become one of the world's five largest trading nations and to contributing to Korea's achieving a trade volume of USD 2 trillion by 2020.
In 2014, the world is expected to recover from the global economic recession. Despite the financial risks faced by emerging countries triggered by the U.S. reduction of quantitative easing, Korea’s economy is expected to recover and see improvements in export conditions as a result of the United States' and EU's economic recovery.
In this light, KOTRA pursues the "ultakdongsi" approach to business, which refers to a hen and to-be-born chick pecking simultaneously at an egg shell to break it. The government and businesses, labor and management and big and small companies must work together in Korea to succeed, to achieve the following: △Establishment of a foundation to achieve $2 trillion in trade volume △Reinforcement of support for overseas advancement △Increase in inbound foreign direct investment △Creation of a national happiness ecosystem.
As we work toward the $2 trillion trade volume mark, we will support domestic businesses striving to become export-driven businesses. We will find promising domestic companies, actively support their export marketing, provide customized support and resolve export-related grievances. Moreover, we will take the lead in new market development by finding high-potential projects in which Korean businesses can participate. Of course, as Korea works toward a creative economy, KOTRA will strive to support new export industries through convergence and integration as well.
This year, we will continue to focus on global mergers and acquisitions as we support the joint overseas expansion of big and small businesses and the globalization of small businesses. With respect to CSR, we aim to build partnerships of sustainable growth with emerging countries by strengthening our global CSR and sharing our experiences of economic development. We will also attract core industries and technologies to increase foreign direct investment in Korea.
Through all this, our goal is for globalizing SMEs to achieve visible results. After all, it is only then that Korea can become one of the world's strongest trading nations.

Volunteer Work - Korea Trade-Investment Corp,

Volunteer Work

Helping out rural communities

KOTRA volunteers at Buraemi Village in Incheon, Gyeonggi-do by helping farmers plant seeds and harvest crops. KOTRA also has a volunteer work group called Left Hands, the members of which work to improve regional communities by entertaining seniors who live alone and providing free tutoring for teenagers.

Social Contribution - Korea Trade-Investment Corp,

Social Contribution

Giving back in a variety of ways

KOTRA provides youth around the world with cultural education programs to help them become leaders. The organization also offers, humanitarian aid in disaster-affected regions of the world and mentors, children of low-income families and multicultural families in Korea. Internships are offered to young Koreans living abroad for the development of global-minded human resources.

Ethical Management - KOTRA

Ethical Management

Customer-oriented, socially responsible management

KOTRA aspires to be a responsible global organization through ethical management. By leading Korea’s trade and investment promotion efforts KOTRA strives to be an ethical company that contributes to the national and global economies.

KOTRA Academy - Korea Trade-Investment Corp,

KOTRA Academy

KOTRA Academy fosters experts in trade and investment, by offering study programs ranging from basic business etiquette and manners to international marketing. The academy also offers hands-on onsite training to a selected group of interns to be assigned to overseas organizations and assist with their job search and career orientation.

• Overseas exhibition marketing
• e-trade marketing
• Overseas business schools
• Global marketing specialists
• FDI attraction PM

Contact Us

• KOTRA Academy : (137-749) 13, Heolleung-ro, Seocho-gu, Seoul, Korea
• TEL : 82-2-3497-1130
• FAX : 82-2-3497-1622

Find Global talent - Korea Trade-Investment Corp,

Contact KOREA

The government organization representing the Republic of Korea that is exclusively charged with the attraction of global talented professionals

The world today is engaged in a battle over the “soft power” on which national development depends. This has led to fierce competition to find and attract the world’s most talented professionals. In April 2008, at a conference on increasing national competitiveness chaired by the president, the decision was taken to establish Contact KOREA within KOTRA, and since 2009 it has been driving forward its projects in earnest. A law was passed to ensure full support for Contact KOREA, while all the center’s services were designed to support Korean companies in their search for global talented professionals, and to help global talented professionals find the jobs they needed in Korea quickly and efficiently.
Contact KOREA seeks talented personnel through its 122 KOTRA KBCs (Korea Business Centers) in 84 countries around the world. In cooperation with government ministries and other organizations, it has built a system of comprehensive support, including identifying Korean companies in need of global personnel, giving visa recommendations, providing immigration support, and helping with relocation to Korea. Over the last two years, we have assisted with the employment of 708 global talented professionals at over 308 companies. We have also built a database with information on more than 5,500 talented professionals, to which we provide free access for businesses via the Contact KOREA portal site.

Special support for global talent professionals

Contact KOREA has been authorized by Korea’s Minister of Knowledge Economy to issue Gold Card employment recommendations, offering special privileges regarding immigration.

Invest KOREA,

Invest KOREA (IK) provides customized services to support the entry and establishment of foreign businesses in Korea.
Invest KOREA, composed of KOTRA employees, specialists and seconded officials from government ministries and agencies, is a Korean investment promotion organization established to support the entry and establishment of foreign businesses in Korea.
We work closely with our network of 42 overseas branches, known as Korea Business Centers, to provide comprehensive services for foreign businesses. This includes consultations, assistance with investment notification and corporate establishment, support for business activities in Korea and grievance resolution.
We provide comprehensive one-stop services to foreign-invested companies to help them develop into global companies.
We carry out various activities to attract foreign investment, including finding potential investors, supporting investment projects, providing after care services and building cooperation with related agencies.

Information Providing Service

Research/Consulting

Invest KOREA provides documents for investment feasibility studies and offers consultations regarding investment procedures, laws, taxes and accounting. We also offer customized information and resources for potential investors.

Website

Invest KOREA Online (http://www.investkorea.org) provides a wealth of detailed information on investment in Korea on top of its extensive on-line consulting service for interested investors.

Foreign Investment Promotion

Finding Investors and Managing Investment Projects

Invest KOREA provides all foreign investment services. This includes promoting the national image, finding potential investors, reviewing, planning and executing investment, consulting and after management. We also deliver feedback from foreign-invested companies to policy officials to help improve the investment environment.

Invest Korea Plaza (IKP)

Invest Korea Plaza, the first international business incubation center in Korea, offers business consultation, administration support, investment and efficient one-stop services to foreign investors.

Aftercare Service

The Office of the Foreign Investment Ombudsman (OFIO)

The OFIO improves the investment environment and promotes the success of foreign-invested companies in Korea by providing assistance in resolving difficulties the companies face both in business management and in daily life.

Investment Aftercare Division www.i-ombudsman.or.kr

The Investment Aftercare Division offers “home doctors” (experts in foreign investment) to provide one-on-one services for clients and rapidly identify and resolve problems.

Direct Complaints Service

Invest KOREA handles 11 types of foreign investment related complaints that include issues with visas, tariffs and taxes for the convenience of foreign-invested companies.

Defense Industry Trade - KOTRA,

KODITS is

The Korea Defense Industry Trade Support Center(KODITS) was established by the Korean government in 2009 as a department of the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency(KOTRA) to promote defense industry trade. It consists of specialists from the private and public sectors.
This pan-governmental organization provides a variety of support related to defense and security trade, including business matchmaking, government-to-government(GtoG) contract support, offset trade, package deals and Homeland Security (HLS) industry support.

Background of Establishment

"The Defense Industry" is a very important industry because it is directly connected to the matter of survival/national security. It is necessary for a nation to be independent when it comes to defense capability.
In order to benefit from economies of scale, expanding the previous domestic-oriented defense market into a global one is now crucial.
To promote defense industry as a next generation driving force, it is necessary to increase the volume of the export. However, the current exportation supporting system lacks the capability to cope with various defense industry demands.
Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) proposed the idea of establishing a defense industry support center with related departments to provide the most efficient support when trading defense materials for the needs of constructing infrastructure. Positioned within the KOTRA, KODITS was established in October 15th 2009.

Contact Us

• Defense Industry Trade : (137-749) 13, Heolleung-ro, Seocho-gu, Seoul, Korea
• TEL : 82-2-3460-7303
• FAX : 82-2-3460-7907

Global Trade Promotion - KOTRA,

Business Matchmaking

Outstanding Korean companies and products are introduced to foreign buyers and we help facilitate business transactions, setting up meetings for foreign and Korean companies as well.

Trade Missions

KOTRA cooperates with local governments and authorities to form and dispatch trade missions consisting of SMEs wishing to engage in overseas business activities. Export consulting is provided for foreign buyers by KOTRA’s Korea Business Center to increase international trade.

Exhibitions and Conventions

KOTRA provides guidance and recommendations to exhibitors and support the cost of international trade shows so that SMEs can utilize trade shows as their most effective tactic for generating leads and building brand image. KOTRA also holds its own conventions and represents Korea at global expos to demonstrate Korea’s technology and economy.

• Planning and organizing Korea pavilion in international trade shows
• Representation of Korea at expos
• World-Class Products Show
• SEOUL FOOD 2012
• GEP Global Exhibition http://english.gep.or.kr/wps/portal/ex

Cultural Media Business

KOTRA supports Korean culture and media (music, film, TV, games, etc.) companies as they interact with foreign buyers. Conventions and expos are held in conjunction with the government to connect Korea to the world culturally and economically.

Exhibition - KOTRA,

Operation Host

KOTRA Exhibition management Team AKEI

System Control

KOTRA Information Promotion Team

Site Characteristics

• Integrated information of the Korea Exhibition, building the Northeast Asia exhibition and service.
• Visiting registration for foreign buyers and promotion.
• Offer the objective information for making the Korea Exhibition specialization, large-size, globalization and foster the exhibition business through the overseas marketing support.

The purpose of this website

The purpose of the Global Exhibition Portal System(abb: GEP) is to build a Portal Website Service which provides worldwide exhibition information to promote the export industry of Korea and to gain the international competitiveness of Korea exhibition industry in the world under the reality of Korea export industry that has to be adapted itself to suddenly changing world market.

• Maximizing of exhibition business effects Customers, KOTRA, Organization(Association, Government)
• On-line service wicket role of several information for Korea exhibition industry
• e-Business charge business foundation building through the cyber exhibition business settlement and expend
• offer the integrated information and service related to exhibition like exhibition information, exhibition hall information, exhibition news etc.
• Attract the industry's interest and expend the industry through the information offer about the business supported by government

The Mission

The Association of Korean Exhibition Industries is an organization specializing solely in exhibition.
It was founded in September 2002 under the auspices of Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy.
The mission of Association of Korean Exhibition Industries is to undertake a wide variety of tasks to develop and foster policies that will ensure the exponential growth of the trade fair industry.

Organization

At the moment, there are 38 member companies that represent the exhibition industry of Korea - including owners of exhibition centers, trade show organizers and exhibition service contractors.
The Association has eight personnel, comprising the Chairman (Seong Geun Oh, CEO of BEXCO), one director and five staff members

Major Projects

1. 1) Support for Trade Exhibitions held in Korea and Evaluation of these Exhibitions
2. 2) Operation of the Exhibition Endorsement System
3. 3) Establishment of a statistical database of exhibitions held in Korea
4. 4) The operation and management of portal sites for trade exhibitions
5. 5) Overseas publicity of exhibitions held in Korea
6. 6) International cooperation and educational projects
7. 7) Involvement in various research projects and publication
8. 8) Project for supporting participation in overseas exhibitions

Contact Us

KOTRA Oversea Exhibition Team

• TEL : 82-2-3460-7253, 82-2-3460-7675
• FAX : 82-2-3460-7916
• Address : (137-749) 13, Heolleung-ro, Seocho-gu, Seoul, Korea

AKEI

• TEL : 82-2-574-2024
• FAX : 82-2-574-2696
• Address : (137-749) 13, Heolleung-ro, Seocho-gu, Seoul, Korea

Intro Korean Products - KOTRA,

buyKOREA(www.buyKOREA.org) which is operated by KOTRA is the global B2B e-market place which connects international buyers and Korean suppliers. Since its establishment in 1962 as part of the Korea's first 5-year Economic Plan, KOTRA has been dedicated to creating new export markets and increasing Korea's trade value, which reached $1 trillion in 2011. buyKOREA is the most extensive trading site which has Korean products and suppliers.
As you have the difficulty to find Korean products and suppliers in buyKOREA, register on buying offer. Korean suppliers in buyKOREA will contact you rapidly.
buyKOREA is a global B2B e-marketplace which supports product view, online transaction, EMS shipping etc. It is possible to check new Korean products which are registered daily and pay by credit cards easily. Real-time shipping status is available in buyKOREA when Korean seller is sending the products by EMS.
buyKOREA supports online video meeting. Detailed business meeting with distant Korean companies is available through online video conference hold regularly on various industry sector. Experience the business improvement with buyKOREA.

Contact Us

• Tel. 02 3460 7150
• Fax. 02 3460 7942
• Email. buykorea@kotra.or.kr

Useful links state agencies - KOTRA,

No	Site Name	Site Content	Address
1	Government of the republic of korea	The website provide you with information about Republic of Korea's civil Complaints, trade,military, security, life information.	http://www.korea.go.kr/main.do
2	Korea customs service	The website provide you with information about Customs trends, import and export customs clearance, duty charge, reduction, collection, tariff policy.	http://www.customs.go.kr/kcshome /site/index.do?layoutSiteId=english
3	Ministry of Strategy and Finance	The website provide you with information about Republic of Korea's economic policies, budget and tax.	http://english.mosf.go.kr/
4	Ministry of Foreign Affairs	The website provide you with information about Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea, foreign economic and international affairs	http://www.mofa.go.kr/ENG/main/ index.jsp
5	Ministry of trade, Industry & Energy	The website provide you with information about Commerce, trade, industry, foreign investment, industry, technology, research and development policy	http://www.motie.go.kr/language/ eng/index.jsp
6	Statistics Korea	The website provide you with information about National statistics, Indicators of the state, policy information, statistical research.	http://kostat.go.kr/portal/english/ index.action

Trade-Related useful sites

No	Site Name	Site Content	Address
1	Korea Trade Insurance Corporation	The website provide you with information about Trade Insurance, Export Insurance, Export Credit Guarantee System.	https://www.ksure.or.kr/english/ index.jsp
2	Small and medium Business Corporation	The website provide you with information about Venture support, overseas marketing, policy funds, consulting, technical support.	http://www.sbc.or.kr/sbc/eng/ index.jsp
3	Korea Trade Network	The website provide you with information about E-logistics, customs clearance, certified electronic documents, e-trade services.	http://homepage.ktnet.co.kr/ KTNET/index.html?lang=ENG
4	Korea Importers Association	The website provide you with information about Import procedures, support, provide country of origin information, trade counseling.	http://www.import.or.kr/
5	Korea Eximbank	The website provide you with information about Financial advisory services, financial products, import and export, foreign investment, and overseas resource development.	http://www.koreaexim.go.kr/en/ index.jsp
6	Korea international Trade Association	The website provide you with information about Trade statistics, online certificate, trade counseling, the world economy, trade statistics of country, item research.	http://www.worldtradelaw.net/

Information-Related useful sites

No	Site Name	Site Content	Address
1	Korea Tourism Organization	The website provide you with information about travel information, theme planning, tourism, food, and related statistics, investment.	http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/ index.kto
2	New Address Information	The website provide you with information about new address, address change, street name address search.	http://www.juso.go.kr/ openEngPage.do
3	Korea.net	The website provide you with information about Republic of Korea news, economics, history, culture, and tourism	http://www.korea.net/
4	Coex	The website provide you with information about Convention center, exhibition and performance schedule, Exhibitors and Exhibits.	http://www.coex.co.kr/eng/ index.asp
5	Bexco	The website provide you with information about Convention center, exhibition and performance schedule, Exhibitors and Exhibits.	http://www.bexco.co.kr/eng/Main.do

About - Korea Trade-Investment Corp

The Republic Of Korea is a small country on the far eastern edge of Asia. Although it ranks 109th in the world in terms of land area, the country is a center of economic activity, culture, and arts. Korea was colonized by Japan in the early 20th century and later had to endure the Korean War (1950-53), but it has achieved amazing economic growth in a short period, dubbed "the Miracle on the Han River."
Today, Korea is an industrial nation standing tall on the world stage. Its semiconductor, automobile, shipbuilding, steel making, and IT industries are on the leading edge in global markets. It hosted the 1988 Seoul Olympics and the 2002 Korea-Japan FIFA World Cup. More recently, Korean dramas, movies, and music are attracting many audiences in Asian countries and beyond, creating what is being called the "Korean Wave." Korea's new standing in the international community was highlighted in 2010 with the nation becoming the first Asian country to chair the G20 and host the G20 Seoul Summit.

People

Population

50.95 million (South Korea) (2012)
* Foreign Residents (including short-term sojourners) :
1.4 million

* Cities by Population: Seoul (10.2 million),
Busan (3.5 million), Incheon (2.8 million),
Daegu (2.5 million), Daejeon (1.5 million),
Gwangju (1.5 million), Ulsan (1.1 million) (2012)

Median Age

38.9 years (2012)

Economically Active Population

25.5 million (2012)

Population Increase Rate

0.45% (2012)

Life Expectancy

Male, 77.7 years; female, 84.5 years (2012)

Religion

A 2005 census showed one half of the population
practice religion. Among them, 10,726,463 Buddhists,
8,616,438 Protestants, and 5,146,147 Catholics comprise
the three dominant religions.

Government

Political System

Republic with a president elected to a single 5-year term
by direct popular vote. division of power among the
executive, legislature (unicameral National Assembly),
and judiciary branches

President

Park Geun-Hye since 2013

Suffrage

Universal at 19 years of age

Elections

Presidential: every 5 years
National Assembly: every 4 years
Local Government: every 4 years

Economy

Gross Domestic Product

US$ 1,129 billion (2012)

Per Capita GNI

US$ 22,708 (2012)
GDP Growth Rate: 2.0% (2012)
Foreign Exchange Reserves: US$ 317 billion (2012)

Exports

US$548 billion (2012)

Imports

US$520 billion (2012)

Major Industrial Products

Semiconductors, automobiles, ships, consumer electronics,
mobile telecommunications, equipment,
steel, and chemicals.