Chilgok-gun sends trade mission to Malaysia to open new export markets

Chilgok-gun in North Gyeongsang Province has launched a trade mission to Malaysia to help local small and medium-sized enterprises break into overseas markets.

County Chief Kim Jae-wook departed for Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday alongside local business leaders and officials from the North Gyeongsang Province Economic Promotion Agency, the county said.

Ten local small and medium-sized enterprises producing automotive parts, industrial materials, food products and household goods are taking part in the visit.

Starting Thursday, the delegation will hold one-on-one export consultations with local buyers and meet with the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers and Korean business leaders based in Malaysia to explore opportunities for corporate exchange and cooperation.

On Friday, the group will attend MIAPEX 2026, an international automotive parts exhibition, and discuss expanding industrial ties with related business associations.

Companies in the food and household goods sectors plan to visit local distributor KMT Group and others to assess market trends and identify new business partners.

Among the participants is Ryu Byung-su, chief executive of SMCT, which produces automotive rear turn signals and lighting components. The company previously withdrew from the Malaysian market due to price competition from low-cost Chinese products and is now making a fresh attempt to re-enter it.

Chilgok-gun and the North Gyeongsang Province Economic Promotion Agency plan to use the buyer network established during the visit to support follow-up consultations and help identify new clients, with post-visit management aimed at converting export talks into actual contracts.

"The local government will step in directly to showcase the competitiveness of our companies and provide the backing that local buyers need to trade with confidence," Kim said. "We will support our businesses in securing new clients and expanding their exports."