70 local firms to participate in consultations at Hotel ICC on Wednesday, aiming to open new export channels
Daejeon is inviting prominent overseas buyers in global retail, healthcare and advanced technology to create opportunities for substantive business cooperation with local companies.
The city will hold an overseas buyer business forum at Hotel ICC on Wednesday in conjunction with the 2026 World Korean Business Convention export consultations, actively supporting local small and medium-sized enterprises in opening new overseas markets and expanding exports.
The forum is organized in partnership with the Overseas Koreans Agency's World Korean Business Convention export consultations. About 200 participants are expected, including 63 representatives from 55 overseas buyer companies in China, Japan, Vietnam and the United States, along with 70 Daejeon-based firms.
Buyers include 35 companies sourced by Daejeon's overseas trade offices — eight from China, 11 from Japan, 10 from Vietnam and six from the United States — as well as 20 companies connected through the Overseas Koreans Agency's global Korean business network.
The forum will draw a large contingent of buyers from major global retail and healthcare companies as well as the advanced technology sector. Organizers expect it to help local firms showcase their products and secure new overseas distribution channels and trading partners.
From Japan, Ito-Yokado, a major general merchandise supermarket chain, and Pan Pacific International Holdings, which operates Don Quijote stores, will participate in export consultations with local consumer goods companies in cosmetics, food and household products.
From the United States, Continuum Healthcare Network and Advent Healthcare will attend to explore potential cooperation with local biotech, healthcare and medical device companies.
From Vietnam, PTI (Thong Nhat) and GEM Food will join discussions on local distribution and market entry prospects for food and biotech-related products.
From China, Hangzhou Yizhi Intelligent Technology Co. and Nanjing Jabailey Digital Technology Co. will hold business consultations with local advanced technology and manufacturing firms.
On Thursday, the day before the forum, overseas buyers will be offered a medical wellness experience covering traditional Korean medicine, scalp care and skin beauty treatments, along with an introduction to key local tourism attractions including Jangtaesan, highlighting Daejeon's competitiveness in medical and tourism industries.
Daejeon Mayor Heo Tae-jeong said the city is home to growing companies with strong technology and product competitiveness across a range of sectors, including advanced industries such as biohealth, nano semiconductors, defense and aerospace. "We hope this forum will help introduce the excellent products and technologies of our local companies to overseas markets and translate into tangible trade results with foreign buyers, serving as a springboard for export expansion," he said.
Daejeon plans to ensure the forum does not remain a one-off event by continuously monitoring participating companies' consultation outcomes and contract progress, and by providing follow-up marketing support through export support agencies to strengthen the global competitiveness of local businesses.
kwonhl@heraldcorp.com
