Seoul Consumer 2005 Slated for May 4-7 in Seoul
- About 300 companies expected to display exhibits during the fourth annual fair

The fourth Seoul International Consumer Goods Fair (Seoul Consumer) 2005, scheduled for May 4-7 in Seoul, will showcase the rapid development of Korea's dynamic consumer market in terms of both quality and quantity, Yeon Young-chul, director general of the Trade Fair and Exhibition Team at KOTRA, said.
An estimated 300 exhibitors from 15 countries, including host Korea, are expected to participate in Seoul Consumer, Yeon said.
Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), in cooperation of Messe Frankfurt Korea, a major international exhibition agency, will organize the annual exhibition with the aim of publicizing the domestic consumer goods market and diversifying exporting markets as well as spurring new products and new technologies through Korea's exchanges with foreign countries.
In a combined exhibition space of 7,948 sq. meters at the Seoul Trade Exhibition Center (SETEC) will be displayed kitchenware, general gifts, including desk sets and memo pads, personal accessories, including watches and scarves, furniture, cosmetics & bathroom items, interior decoration & home textile, home electronic appliances, leisure items, and sports & health items.
"For consumer goods industry professionals, there is no better opportunity to leverage your business potential and to establish your brand awareness and strategic positioning in the sector in Korea than Seoul Consumer 2005, the leading comprehensive consumer goods fair," he said. "Furthermore, diversified promotion of the fair through worldwide networks of Messe Frankfurt Gmbh as a leading international consumer goods fair organizer and KOTRA as the trading partner through international commerce and investment will bring critical mass and qualified trade buyers from abroad. This is your chance to place and execute market entry strategies in Korea as well as China and other emerging Asian market," Yeon said.
Seoul Consumer 2005 is a specialized exhibition designed to maximize exhibitors' performances. To this end, an export consultation session catering to buyers of large-sized distribution chain outlets from the Americas and EU as well as the emerging markets, including BRIC group (Brazil, Russia, India and China), will be held during the exhibition period. Trade consultations will be arranged according to the needs of distribution outlets of each market, including sourcing. Foreign "Korea Buy" delegates, including those from Latin America, will be invited through KOTRA's 103 overseas trade centers.
Cyber trade negations will be held between exhibitors and foreign buyers who cannot participate in Seoul Consumer 2005. Exhibitors participating in the exhibition will hold trade consultations for foreign buyers who want to buy Korean products through the Internet.
KOTRA also plan to hold a seminar for invited buyers of large-sized distribution outlets and marketing officials of major trade centers, aimed at introducing the distribution markets of foreign countries and strategies for making a foray into large-sized distribution outlets.
The Korean consumer goods, mostly representative items made by SMEs, have suffered setbacks from the domestic and overseas markets due to outperforming products of China and other developing countries, but many cases indicate that if Korean products are equipped with excellent quality, design and ideas, they could recapture the domestic and foreign markets. In reality, it is unfortunate that there are some companies with a competitive edge which cannot advance to markets due to a lack of marketing activities, however, Yeon said.
Most goods exhibitions held in Korea, were aimed at bringing about short-term benefits, including increased sales to domestic consumers, but they should have focused on business consultations designed to explore foreign markets in the long-term perspective, he said.
In order to correspond the demand of domestic goods exhibitions, Yeon said, KOTRA will again hold the Seoul International Consumer Goods Fair 2005 in cooperation of the international consumer goods fair organizer Messe Frankfurt Gmbh, the fourth one since 2002 when the first Seoul Consumer was held.
Meanwhile, the 23rd Seoul International Food Exhibition 2005 will be held May 17-20 at the new Korea International Exhibition Center (KINTEX).
KOTRA and the Korea Food Industry Association will jointly hold Seoul Food 2005, with more than 600 companies from about 50 countries expected to participate.
Seoul Food 2005, one of Korea's largest food exhibitions, is the only exhibition in Korea, to be certified by UFI, the association of the world's leading trade show organizers and fairground owners, as well as the major national and international associations of the exhibition industry, and its partners. nw