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KINTEX President Kim elected member of UFI board and to make exhibition center tops in the world

President Kim In-shik of KINTEX said he is giving the new year a new meaning with the year being the year of the pig on lunar calendar, which is supposed to bring good luck to many people and the country, according to an ancient saying. He said he hopes the new year will be the one that every one will begin with new hopes and have energetic starts.
KINTEX marks the 3rd year since it opened its exhibition halls for business and he believes that challenges will grow tougher for KINTEX as it becomes a strong contender in the world for attracting global exhibitions as it solidifies its position as a leader in the industry. Such being the case, he will lead KINTEX to meet its challenges with sound determination.
The first task is to boost the operation rate of the exhibition center to 55 percent and make the new year the initial year for ending the operation in the black for the first time in its short history. Considering that the rate reached 53 percent in 2006, our objective is near completion stages, he said.
The second objective is to achieve the expansion project of the center without a hitch this year. The assignment is in a must situation because of increases in the need for exhibition spaces owing to the development of our economy and the expansion of exhibition spaces due to the growth of Big 5 exhibition centers with the increases in the number of exhibitions.
Last year, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy and the Ministry of Budget and Planning confirmed the need for the second stage expansion of KINTEX as the project that should be supported by the government and at the present time, the expansion plan is under study by the Korea Development Institution to determine its priority in the government investment list in the first half of this year.
Third is to become a global leader in the exhibition industry around the world in terms of the scale of our economy and the amount of annual exports. Under the supposition that exhibition space is the basic infrastructure of trading, KINTEX should be internationally competitive in tandem with the scale of our economy. Every thing connected with KINTEX has got to be in global standards including manpower, facility, service systems and exhibitions either organized by KINTEX itself or held at the center. We will also strive to secure KINTEX exhibition brands the international certificates.
Fourth is to do all we can to upgrade the world-wide recognition for exhibitions staged at KINTEX and do its social obligation required of a corporation. Through an extensive public relations marketing, and expanded social contribution, KINTEX will make known excellence of Korea's exhibition industry to the world this year, President Kim said.
The 73rd UFI Annual Congress held in December last year named President Kim In-shik of KINTEX as a member of the Board of Directors of the Asia region of the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry.
The KINTEX President will have the right to elect chairman of UFI for two years and will also participate in the meetings to decide where international touring exhibitions will be held and the dates, along with the participation in meetings to discuss the qualifications of new board members and other core issues of the association.
The KINTEX CEO said he will devote his time to build a bridge of exchange and cooperation between the exhibition industry both at home and abroad and work for diversification and internationalization of the domestic display industry and discovering the training program as a member of the UFI board member.
KINTEX celebrated its 4th anniversary on Dec. 15, last year. At the ceremony held at the conference room, the exhibition company presented awards to exemplary officials and staff and vendor firms with the renewal of its pledge to grow to become a leader in the exhibition industry in the world.
At the 4th shareholders meeting, it was decided that the official name of will change to KINTEX Co. Ltd. Any ads and public relations material in the KINTEX building will bear KINTEX.
With the help of the Goyang City, road signs near the KINTEX will also include KINTEX and with new KINTEX logo, the exhibition facility will launch its moves to attract international exhibition events to Korea. nw

(from left photo) President of KINTEX Kim In-shik. KINTEX President Kim delivers a speech to accept his election as member of UFI board for Asia region in December last year.