President Yoon Suk Yeol (left) on Dec. 5 takes a commemorative photo with Samsung Electronics CEO Han Jong-hee after giving the company a Trade Tower award for achieving USD 120 billion in exports at a ceremony marking the 59th Trade Day at COEX Mall in the Samseong-dong neighborhood of Seoul's Gangnam-gu District. (Yonhap News)
By Xu Aiying
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and Korea International Trade Association on Dec. 5 held a ceremony at COEX Mall in Seoul marking the country's 59th Trade Day to honor companies and figures contributing to expanding the nation's trade this year.
Under the slogan "Accept the Challenge, Trading Power! Take a Major Leap, Republic of Korea!" (unofficial translation), 1,780 companies received Export Tower awards, 207 more than last year.
The honor goes to a business that achieves an export record exceeding a certain volume. Samsung Electronics this year earned the nation's first Export Tower for grossing USD 120 billion in overseas shipments after earning one last year for USD 110 billion.
SK Hynix won a prize for export volume of USD 30 billion and AMCO Technology Korea, SD Biosensor and Hanwha Solutions each got one for posting USD 20 billion in overseas sales.
President Yoon Suk Yeol said in a congratulatory speech, "The government will mobilize all export-supporting capacity for the nation to make the ranks of the world's top five exporting countries by 2026," adding, "Together with leading trade people, we will work together on the export front line."
He also mentioned the country's stellar export performance this year despite a difficult environment, saying, "This was thanks to all of your sweat and dedication to blazing a trail on the global market through outstanding technologies and the spirit of challenge."
"We will thoroughly focus summit diplomacy on facilitating our companies' exports and advancing to overseas markets," he added. "In countries like Egypt, Poland and Saudi Arabia, we will actively foster new major export sectors that confirm our possibilities and potential like nuclear plants, defense, construction of infrastructure and Korean content."
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and Korea International Trade Association (KITA) on Dec. 5 held an event at COEX Mall in Seoul marking the 59th Trade Day to honor companies and figures who contributed to expanding the nation's trade this year. (KITA)
To mark the nation's feat of USD 100 billion in exports in 1964, the government that year designated Nov. 30 the inaugural Export Day. Renamed Trade Day in 1990, the occasion in 2011 was moved to Dec. 5 to commemorate the economy's milestone of USD 1 trillion in trade volume.
xuaiy@korea.kr