The Korea-ASEAN Centre (Secretary-General Kim Jae-shin) held an opening ceremony for "2026 ASEAN Panorama" on the 7th at the Seoul ASEAN Hall on the first floor of the Korea Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, and began a rotating exhibition of outstanding products from ASEAN small and midsize enterprises for about five months through Sept. 30. The Korea-ASEAN Centre is an international organization established and launched in 2009 to expand exchanges and cooperation between Korea and the 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
ASEAN is a large single market with a population of about 700 million and an economy (GDP) exceeding $4 trillion (about 5,800 trillion won). It began in 1967 with five countries—Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand—and Brunei joined in 1984, followed by Vietnam (1995), Laos and Myanmar (1997) and Cambodia (1999). With Timor-Leste joining last year, it became an 11-country bloc.
Held under the theme "Bigger, Bolder, Broader: The New ASEAN in Every Detail," this event is a major expansion of the ASEAN trade exhibition that the Korea-ASEAN Centre has hosted annually since 2014. The opening ceremony featured a calligraphy performance wishing for stronger friendship between Korea and ASEAN, opening remarks by Secretary-General Kim Jae-shin, congratulatory messages by Tanee Sangrat, head of the ASEAN Committee in Seoul (ambassador of Thailand to Korea), and Bae Jun-hyung, director-general for trade cooperation at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources.
"2026 ASEAN Panorama" will pair two ASEAN member states each month to participate in the exhibition. In May, Brunei and Indonesia; in June, Cambodia and Malaysia; in July, Laos and the Philippines; in Aug., Myanmar and Thailand; and in Sept., Singapore and Vietnam. A separate promotional event will also introduce Timor-Leste, which joined ASEAN last year as the 11th member state.
The Korea-ASEAN Centre plans to operate "2026 ASEAN Panorama" not merely as a product showcase but as a B2B networking platform that builds practical cooperative ties among ASEAN corporations, Korean buyers and related institutions. Key programs include: △ business seminars, △ 1:1 buyer consultations, and △ tours of Korean industrial sites and visits to related institutions. The center will also invite participating corporations to Korea each month to support entry into the domestic market.
On the 28th of this month, in cooperation with the Korea-ASEAN Financial Cooperation Centre in Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, a business seminar will address difficulties that overseas corporations may face when entering Korea, including payment and remittances, establishing a legal entity, attracting investment, and distribution and business expansion. Shinhan Bank, Korea Technology Finance Corporation (KOTEC), BlissVine Ventures, and domestic tax firms will participate to provide 1:1 customized consultations.
To attract participation from general visitors, a variety of online and offline events will be held during the exhibition period. The "ASEAN Panorama Completion Event" will reward visitors who consistently attend over the five months, with chances of winning weighted by the number of visits, and the final first-prize winner (one person) will receive an ASEAN travel voucher worth 1 million won. T'way Air will also participate as a partner to offer discounted fares on major Southeast Asia routes.
The exhibition hall is open on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It is closed on Sundays and public holidays.