KOTRA runs Gangwon regional pavilion at Export Boom Korea fair

The Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) and Gangwon Province announced Wednesday they will operate a "Gangwon Regional Cooperation Pavilion" at the 2026 Export Boom Korea fair, the country's largest export consultation event, being held over two days at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province.

The pavilion was established to help Gangwon-based companies enter overseas markets, with a particular focus on boosting economic vitality in former coal-mining areas and regions experiencing population decline. Companies identified by Kangwon Land and Naver Happy Bean will receive tailored overseas market entry support from KOTRA.

Ahead of the in-person consultations, participating companies spent three weeks conducting pre-event marketing through KOTRA's online B2B platform Buy Korea, giving buyers advance access to company information to generate interest and help translate it into actual export results.

KOTRA has also been working with Kangwon Land since September to help about 100 companies in Gangwon Province's depopulating areas develop overseas sales channels. As part of a program linked to trade shows and consultation events, those companies will also participate in export events KOTRA is holding at overseas venues including Melbourne and Bangkok through the end of this year.

"We have created support opportunities for companies in Gangwon Province's former mining and depopulating areas as part of our broader push to expand exports among regional and first-time exporters," KOTRA President Kang Kyung-sung said. "We will continue working with local governments and public-private partner organizations to do our utmost to expand exports for regional companies."

Meanwhile, KOTRA will hold an online briefing on strategies for entering the US public works market in connection with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics on Oct. 28. The agency plans to help Korean companies tap into business opportunities generated by the Games.