The Korea Importers Association held a ceremony for the 16th Import Day on the 9th at the Shilla Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, and presented government awards to contributors who helped stabilize global supply chains.
About 300 people attended the event, including Yeo Han-koo, Deputy Minister for Trade at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the ambassador of Morocco to Korea, foreign ambassadors to Korea from about 70 countries, and import industry officials.
For this year's government awards for import contributors, Lee Ui-si, chair of Eastern R&E, received the Order of Industrial Service Merit, Iron Tower, and Lee Jae-hyeong, CEO of Daegon Corporation, received the Industrial Service Medal. In addition, a total of 18 people were honored for their contributions to industrial development.
On one side of the venue, 11 countries, including the United Kingdom, China and Portugal, set up promotional booths showcasing their outstanding foods, presenting products from each country.
In her commemorative remarks, Korea Importers Association Chair Yun Yeong-mi said, "Imports, together with exports, maintain the balance of national trade and form the basis of industrial competitiveness," and added, "Amid the global supply chain crisis, we will lead in securing strategic resources and building stable import networks."
Deputy Minister Yeo Han-koo said, "We appreciate the hard work of the import industry in maintaining a stable import base in the course of Korea's rise as a trading powerhouse," and noted, "The government will also strengthen communication with the industry and focus policy capabilities on expanding trade networks and responding to supply chains."
The Korea Importers Association plans to actively dispatch import missions to major countries overseas and expand new projects, including hosting the Korea Import Expo at COEX in Seoul in June next year.