Chairman joins roundtable with Lee Jae-yong, others; subsidiary eyes new partnerships with Italian fabric firms

Fashion Group Hyungji Chairman Choi Byung-oh (left) and Hyungji I&C CEO Choi Hye-won, who accompanied him on the trip representing Hyungji subsidiaries, pose for a photo. [Fashion Group Hyungji]
Fashion Group Hyungji Chairman Choi Byung-oh (left) and Hyungji I&C CEO Choi Hye-won, who accompanied him on the trip representing Hyungji subsidiaries, pose for a photo. [Fashion Group Hyungji]

Fashion Group Hyungji said Monday that Chairman Choi Byung-oh joined the economic delegation accompanying the South Korean president on a state visit to Italy, using the trip to lay the groundwork for expansion into the European market.

Choi attended the Korea-Italy Business Roundtable and a corporate networking reception in Rome on June 12, joining Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, LS Group Chairman Koo Ja-eun and Hyosung Group Chairman Cho Hyun-joon, among others. He also attended a state dinner hosted by Italian President Sergio Mattarella. His eldest daughter, Choi Hye-won, CEO of Hyungji I&C, accompanied him on the trip.

Choi then met with Silvana Pezzoli, president of the Italian Fashion Association (EMI), and other local textile and fashion figures to discuss strategies for entering the European market. Hyungji I&C agreed to form a consortium with Italian premium fabric specialist Carvico S.p.A. to develop high-performance materials capable of withstanding Europe's increasingly extreme weather, including heat waves and heavy rainfall.

Choi also held a series of meetings with representatives of major textile and fashion associations in France and Belgium to discuss responses to tightening environmental regulations, including the EU's Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation. Hyungji Global is currently developing seaweed-based biofiber materials and researching eco-friendly production processes through a joint laboratory it co-launched with Ghent University Global Campus in Songdo.

"This opportunity to join the Italy economic delegation came as a direct result of Chairman Choi Byung-oh's leadership and our active commitment to the government's policy direction of nurturing K-brands and expanding exports," a Fashion Group Hyungji official said. "We will grow into a world-class fashion company by building an eco-friendly supply chain and a high-performance new materials supply chain that meet global standards."


andy@heraldcorp.com