167 companies in beauty, food and other sectors take part; over 320 Vietnamese buyers attend export consultations

Korea International Trade Association Vice Chairman Lee In-ho (sixth from left) and other officials pose for a photo at the 2026 Vietnam International Premium Consumer Goods Fair on Thursday. [Korea International Trade Association]
Korea International Trade Association Vice Chairman Lee In-ho (sixth from left) and other officials pose for a photo at the 2026 Vietnam International Premium Consumer Goods Fair on Thursday. [Korea International Trade Association]

The Korea International Trade Association and Coex have opened a major trade exhibition in Vietnam to expand exports of South Korean premium consumer goods, including K-beauty, food and fashion products. KITA said Friday the 2026 Vietnam International Premium Consumer Goods Fair, known as VIPREMIUM, opened Thursday at the SECC exhibition center in Ho Chi Minh City and runs through Sunday.

Now in its 14th edition, the fair aims to broaden the reach of Korean premium consumer goods in Vietnam — a hallyu hub in Southeast Asia that has posted average annual economic growth of 6.3 percent over the past five years. A total of 167 domestic and international companies in beauty, fashion, food, and living and interior goods are taking part. Participating firms are holding export consultations with Vietnamese buyers to secure local distribution networks and open new sales channels.

KITA and Coex invited more than 320 prominent local buyers to facilitate business matching with Korean companies. Son Kim Retail, which operates GS25's Vietnam business, and Han Min Group, a cosmetics distribution company, are among the participants. More than 1,000 one-on-one export consultations are expected to take place over the course of the event.

"Vietnam is a key market with strong consumer preference for Korean cosmetics, food and other K-consumer goods," KITA Vice Chairman Lee In-ho said at the opening ceremony. "As this exhibition — now in its 14th year — has grown into a flagship platform for business exchange between the two countries, we will provide full support to help Korean companies achieve tangible export results," he said.


eyre@heraldcorp.com