AI trade support centers anchor nationwide network

12 regional universities and companies join effort

9-week program offers hands-on export marketing experience

The launch ceremony for the second cohort of KOTRA's 2026 AI Trade Talent Development Program, held at KOTRA headquarters on Wednesday. [KOTRA]
The launch ceremony for the second cohort of KOTRA's 2026 AI Trade Talent Development Program, held at KOTRA headquarters on Wednesday. [KOTRA]

The Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency announced Thursday that its AI Trade Talent Development Program, run in partnership with regional universities and companies, will produce 5,600 young trade professionals over five years through 2026.

KOTRA held the launch ceremony for the program's second 2026 cohort on Wednesday at its headquarters conference room and simultaneously online. The event drew 918 young participants — the largest turnout in the program's history — along with Executive Vice President Ahn Young-ju, who heads KOTRA's AI Trade and Investment Division. Including representatives from regional export companies, total attendance reached about 1,000.

The second cohort comprises 330 students from 12 universities, 470 individual applicants and 118 export companies. Over nine weeks, participants will build AI-powered export marketing skills by working with 12 regional universities and local companies, using KOTRA's 20 AI trade support centers nationwide as their base. The curriculum draws on KOTRA's AI export assistant, the export big data platform "Tribig" and the overseas market information portal "Haeoegyeongje Jeongbo Dream."

Participants will learn market research and automated report generation, production of export marketing content such as videos and catalogs, automatic recommendations for promising markets and qualified buyers, trade document preparation, and digital marketing using SNS and KOTRA's export platform "Buy Korea." They will also have the opportunity to take part directly in video consultations between export companies and overseas buyers.

Participants are matched with regional export companies to apply AI export marketing skills in real business settings. Young professionals gain practical AI export marketing competencies, while companies can use the program to adopt AI-driven marketing techniques and identify promising talent.

KOTRA is also expanding its university partnerships. The agency has partnered with 12 universities — including seven outside the Seoul metropolitan area: Gangwon National University, Keimyung University, Chonnam National University, Changwon National University, Cheongju University, Chungnam National University and Hoseo University — to broaden participation opportunities for young people in the regions. Participating universities offer benefits such as academic credit to enrolled students.

Since 2022 and through the first half of this year, KOTRA has produced 4,751 AI trade professionals across 14 program rounds. The annual training volume has grown steadily, from 1,494 in 2024 to 1,516 in 2025, and is set to reach 1,600 this year.

"AI is a valuable tool that can lower costs and boost effectiveness on the export marketing front," Executive Vice President Ahn said. "We will do our best to enhance the program's effectiveness so that young people who complete the AI trade talent development course can become the driving force at export sites, and so that small and medium-sized enterprises can seize the opportunity to adopt AI export marketing techniques and discover talented young professionals."

Young people and companies wishing to join the next program round can apply in January 2027 through the "Trade and Investment 24" section of the KOTRA website.


eyre@heraldcorp.com