Southeast Asia and Korea promoted the local home furnishings sector by dispatching a trade mission to Bangkok, Thailand, Wednesday and Thursday.

Organized in cooperation with Thailand’s Department of International Trade Promotion and the ASEAN-Korea Center, the two-day trade mission aimed to strengthen trade and business networks between Korea and Thailand.

The trade trip included representatives from major Korean furniture companies, hoping to drum up business opportunities by conducting market research in Thailand, visiting the Thailand International Furniture Fair 2013, and making site visits to local furniture companies.

The ASEAN-Korea Center said in a statement that it believed the trade mission provides opportunities for the furniture industries of Korea and Thailand by building networks and links with potential business partners.

While in Thailand, experts from Korea’s leading furniture companies discussed the latest trends in Korea and how to break into the Korean furniture market with Thai business people.

The ASEAN-Korea Center was established as an intergovernmental organization in March 2009. The center is mandated to increase trade volume, accelerate investment flows, invigorate tourism and enrich cultural exchanges between Korea and ASEAN member states.

The center implements trade promotion programs like the trade mission to Thailand throughout the year in order to enhance the ASEAN manufacturers’ general understanding of the Korean market and industry-specific marketing techniques that appeal to Koreans.

(ephilip20011@heraldcorp.com)