250 Exhibitors from 25
Countries Take Part in IGF 2007

The 5th Imported Goods Fair held May 29-June 1 at the COEX

The 5th Imported Goods Fair (IGF 2007), organized by Korea Importers Association (KOIMA), was held at the COEX Atlantic Hall between May 29 and June 1.
Two hundred and fifty exhibitors from 25 countries across the world participated in the IGF 2007. The fair was sponsored by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy (MOCIE), Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MOFAT), Seoul Metropolitan Government, Korea International Trade Association and foreign embassies in Korea, foreign companies, Korean importers, associations or organizations related to foreign exports.
The exhibits ranged from foods, home electronics & electric appliances, household appliances, sports & leisure items, textile & leather items to fashion & jewelry and machinery.
IGF 2007 was an exhibition designed to help foreign manufacturers and suppliers by providing an opportunity to introduce and advertise their brands and quality products to Korean importers and consumers.
The fair was also organized to provide companies with business opportunities through technical tie-ups and help imported technology make quality products, thus resulting in substituting imports.
The fair was accompanied by seminars. Officials at the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy and foreign diplomatic corps in Korea give lectures during a session on trade policy & market prospects of Korea were held at COEX Conference Room 101 between 3 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. on May 29 on Day 1; a session on a lecture for beginners wanting to be an importer was held at COEX Conference room 102 on Day 2, on May 30 at 2 p.m.-4:30 p.m.; and businesses meetings with European commercial counselors were held at COEX Atlantic Hall on Day 2 from 2 p.m.-5 p.m.
A wine-tasting session took place between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. every day to help wine consumers distinguish genuine and fake wine products.
Among eye-catching items on display was an underwear product that contained microcapsules that disintegrate protein, a portable microscope, amber jewelries giving out anions and a water improver, designed to prevent total hardness of rust and algae, which was imported by Trico International Ltd.
Park Hyun-jeong, a senior official of E&A, the importer of the unique underwear, said from Day 1, domestic distribution firms related to health and diet, paid much attention on the import. General spectators wanting to buy the special underwear were given discounts ranging from 30 percent to 40 percent off the price tag.
The portable microscope was designed in the UK and produced in China in the form of Original Engineering Method (OEM).
KOIMA is the only private organization with over 36 years of experience in the promotion of imports into Korea. Under the mega-trends of globalization, the trade volume among Korea and the world economy is currently increasing day by day. This trend has seen Korea emerge as an important economy on the world scene, especially the import market. KOIMA plays an important role in facilitating this increase in trade. nw

KOIMA Chairman Kim Wan-hee.

Dignitaries, including Hong Suk-woo, director general of the Trade & Investment Promotion Office at MOCIE, KOIMA Chairman Kim Wan-hee and KITA Chairman Lee Hee-beom cut the tape to open the 5th Imported Goods Fair, organized by Korea Importers Association, held at the Coex May 29-June1.