Yoon promotes S. Korean businesses, K-food at Hanoi trade fair

HANOI, June 22 (Yonhap) -- President Yoon Suk Yeol on Thursday visited a Hanoi trade fair promoting South Korean businesses and helping entrepreneurs of the two countries make inroads into each other's markets.

The Korea-Vietnam Partnership Fair, which was held to coincide with Yoon's state visit to Vietnam, consisted of various parts, including a K-Industry Showcase offering hands-on experiences of goods and services made by South Korean firms, a trade consultation program matching South Korean businesses with potential Vietnamese buyers, and a "grand challenge" event identifying Southeast Asian startups wishing to launch businesses in South Korea.

The fair, held at a convention center, also included a K-Food Festival offering an array of Korean food and fusion dishes combining elements of Korean and Vietnamese cuisines.

Yoon first toured the K-Industry Showcase, and tried out various products made by both large and small South Korean firms, including Hyundai's Ioniq 5 electric vehicle and an online used motorcycle market built by Okxe.

He then visited the trade consultation session and encouraged the more than 300 participating South Korean and Vietnamese firms, as the South Korean businesses sought to sell not only consumer goods, such as food and cosmetics, but also services involving new technologies, smart farms and educational technologies, to potential Vietnamese buyers.

At the "grand challenge" event, Yoon encouraged young entrepreneurs from Vietnam and other member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

"This event was organized so that the young people of Vietnam, who are armed with a spirit of challenge and entrepreneurship, can create new opportunities in the Republic of Korea and our government can support the challenges you take on," he said, referring to South Korea by its formal name.

"There is no border in creativity and innovation. The world is already becoming one market. Innovation and growth happen in the process of respecting freedom and creativity, and exchanging excellent people and resources. The common challenges faced by the world, such as climate change, pandemics and aging, can be overcome through strong innovative cooperation," he added.

Yoon later stopped at the K-Food Festival and tried a banh mi -- a Vietnamese baguette sandwich filled with meat, egg and vegetables -- stuffed with stir-fried kimchi.

While talking with young Vietnamese visitors, he asked them to love Korean food more.

hague@yna.co.kr
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