CHONGJU — The Chungcheongbuk-do Provincial Government announced that the “2026 Chungbuk Agri-Food Overseas Buyer Invitation Export Consultation Fair” concluded with great success on Saturday, October 17, at the Osong Concorde (OSCO) in Cheongju.

Held under the theme "K-Food & Liquor Headed to the World, Tasting Chungbuk," the event was organized in conjunction with the 2nd Chungbuk Agri-Food Industry Expo to expand overseas distribution channels for local agricultural and food products and enhance the global competitiveness of provincial exporters.

A total of 34 overseas buyers from 11 countries—including Japan, China, Canada, Australia, and Hong Kong—and 53 provincial agri-food companies participated in the event. Together, they achieved remarkable results:

-Export Consultations: 227 cases amounting to $34.09 million (approx. 45.6 billion KRW)
-Export Contracts: 178 cases amounting to $9.38 million (approx. 12.6 billion KRW)
-Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs): 13 cases amounting to $4.35 million (approx. 5.8 billion KRW)

The event once again underscored the robust potential of Chungbuk’s agricultural and food products in the global market.

Representing all 11 cities and counties in the province, the 53 participating companies showcased iconic Chungbuk specialties, including kimchi, traditional fermented sauces (jangryu), traditional liquors, honey, and red ginseng products. The event was structured to maximize practical business outcomes: buyers checked product responses on-site, participated in tasting sessions, and moved directly to consultation tables for immediate, in-depth discussions.

In addition to B2B meetings, active online promotional campaigns targeted overseas consumers. Two prominent Chinese influencers (Wanghong), with follower bases of 580,000 and 400,000 respectively, hosted live streaming sessions in the morning and afternoon. They vividly introduced products from 16 provincial companies to consumers in mainland China.

By running on-site B2B consultations alongside B2C online promotions, the event effectively boosted brand awareness for Chungbuk agri-food products and successfully expanded export touchpoints into the Chinese market.

A representative from a participating company shared their satisfaction, saying, "This was a meaningful opportunity to meet overseas buyers in person, promote our products, and explore export potential. We hope the provincial government will continue to create platforms for us to meet diverse international buyers in the future."

Yong Mi-suk, Director-General of the Agriculture and Nutrition Bureau of Chungbuk Province, stated, "We expect this consultation fair to translate into tangible transactions between our local companies and global buyers, while serving as a stepping stone to showcase the excellence of Chungbuk agri-food to the world." She added, "We will continue to provide systematic support—from buyer discovery and consultations to contract fulfillment—to actively back the stable overseas expansion of our local agri-food enterprises."

[ⓒ Global Economic Times. 무단전재-재배포 금지]