– Enthusiastic response from buyers 
– Importance of the exhibition industry recognized 

The nation’s only exhibition that specializes in automobile parts, the Korea Autoparts & Accessories Show 2004 was held at SETEC by S. Trade under joint sponsorship from Gyeonggi-do and MOCIE from October 27 through 29. 

Some 8,000 persons from 220 companies in Korea and abroad participated in this event, as well as approximately 800 buyers. Total export consultations worth $250 million were handled through this venue to make the event a truly world-class trade show. 

One of the participating companies, CSE, is a manufacturer of automobile seatbelts. The company representative stated that CSE had formerly experienced great economic difficulties regarding participation in trade shows, and the hosting of this event in Korea helped the company greatly by eliminating the unnecessary expenditure of time and effort as well as money. 

A spokesman of HiTech International from the Shihwa Industrial Complex said that the show had stronger buyer participation than expected. The company benefited more from consultation with buyers of high purchasing power and finalization of export contracts than at the Frankfurt Autopart Fair. 

The CEO of US firm SAE, which actively managed the event in tandem with its Korean counterparts, stated that this exhibition was a world-class trade show of great organization, superior selection of seminar themes, and event coordination that lived up to the proud 100 year tradition of SAE shows. 

A survey of this year’s participants indicates that more than 80% wishes to be involved in the next year’s event, as the show is now expected to become a automobile parts exhibition of great regional significance in Northeast Asia. 

Provincial officials explained that the exhibition industry provides a powerful trade infrastructure by cutting the time and money spent by SMEs traveling overseas for export consulting, while encouraging foreign buyers to visit Korea in a convenient manner. An advanced Korean exhibition industry can also have a great effect on the tourism and lodging industries. The province plans to continue its support for the KOAA Show to make Korea the center of the automobile parts market in Northeast Asia. 

The KOAA Show 2005 is expected to be held at KINTEX between September 22 and 25.