Seoul (VNA) – The ASEAN-Korea Centre and the Korea Importers Association (KOIMA) announced on May 18 that they will jointly organise a trade promotion delegation to Vietnam and Malaysia in a bid to expand economic cooperation between the Republic of Korea (RoK) and member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The delegation’s programme, taking place in Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur and Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City from May 18–20, will feature exchanges between 20 Korean companies specialising in food and consumer goods and more than 60 local enterprises. It will include business forums, business matching sessions and factory visits, organisers said.

The initiative aims to provide Korean firms with information on import – export trends across the ASEAN region and developments in local markets, while also offering opportunities to explore the latest industry trends and technologies.

A key focus is to expand networks with relevant industry partners in ASEAN countries and identify potential strategic cooperative partners.

The RoK – Vietnam business forum is expected to take place on May 20 at the New World Saigon Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City.

Representatives from the municipal Department of Finance and Department of Industry and Trade, and the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency are set to share insights on investment trends, trade policies and the implementation of the Vietnam – RoK free trade agreement.

The Korean delegation will also visit food and technology enterprises to learn about integrated supply chain models and Vietnam’s foreign investment attraction policies, particularly those of Ho Chi Minh City as part of its strategy to develop into a global trade hub and support businesses in diversifying export markets./.