KITA holds high school trade camp to nurture future export talent

The Korea International Trade Association (KITA) announced Tuesday that it is hosting the 2026 High School Trade Camp at the Trade Academy in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, running through Thursday.

The High School Trade Camp is an experiential education program that KITA's Trade Academy has run since 2013 to raise young people's interest in trade and develop future talent with practical export skills. Over the past 13 years, the program has produced 3,250 graduates.

This year's camp brings together 115 students from three Greater Seoul vocational high schools — Seoul Women's Commercial High School, Sungam International Trade High School and Gyeongbok Business High School.

Over three days, students will work through the full range of export practice in stages, covering the basic concepts of trade and the export process, selecting export items and target markets using big data, global e-commerce platforms and logistics, online marketing strategy, trade contracts and Incoterms, and buyer communication and price negotiations.

A highlight is the signature "KITA Expo Virtual Trade Fair," in which students take on the roles of export companies and overseas buyers to experience the entire export consultation process firsthand — from business meetings and price negotiations through to signing export contracts.

Students who complete the full curriculum receive a certificate issued in the name of the KITA chairman, while top-performing teams are awarded best and excellence prizes issued in the name of the Trade Academy director.

Lee Myung-ja, secretary-general of KITA's Trade Academy, said the camp was designed so students could experience the entire trade process firsthand — from product selection to buyer negotiations — from the perspective of an export company. "We will continue to expand our range of education programs so that students can nurture their interest and aspirations in global business and grow into talent equipped with the practical skills the trade industry demands," she said.

Meanwhile, KITA has been actively supporting companies in future key business sectors with their overseas expansion, recently co-hosting the AI Summit Seoul & Expo with COEX and DMK Global, in addition to its ongoing work developing trade talent.