Boom-Up Korea, the nation's largest export consultation event, will be held nationwide from Oct. 21 through Nov. 7. Shown is a scene from last year's edition in April 2024 at COEX Mall in Seoul's Gangnam-gu District. (Yonhap News)

By Jeon Misun

Boom-Up Korea, the nation's largest export consultation event, on Oct. 21 opened for a three-week run nationwide.

The Ministry of Trade and Industry on Oct. 21 announced its hosting of the opening ceremony of this year's Boom-up Korea Week at KINTEX (Korea International Exhibition Center) in Goyang, Gyeonggi-do Province. The event ends on Nov. 7.

Held every year since 2015, Boom-Up Korea will see major expansion to coincide with the country's hosting of this year's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. Over 1,700 buyers from 70 countries are expected to take part, up 70% from last year, along with some 4,000 domestic exporters.

The event is expected to generate more than 10,000 business consultations and lead to contracts and memorandums of understanding worth a combined USD 350 million.

The number of related exhibitions also rose from 20 last year to 28 this year. A range of industries including electronics, semiconductors, future mobility, shipbuilding and marine engineering, biotechnology and consumer goods are representated at the event.

Regional cultural and tourism programs organized for foreign buyers include those of "bleisure" (business and leisure) including a Hangang River cruise and Hanbok (traditional clothing) experience (Seoul metropolitan area); a heritage tour of Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, and "chimaek" (chicken-and-beer) festival in Yeongnam, a region comprising the two Gyeongsang-do provinces and its major cities Busan, Daegu, Pohang (Gyeongsangnam-do Province) and Ulsan; traditional liquor and cultural heritage experience in both Chungcheong provinces; and marine cable car rides and culinary tour in Honam, a region traditionally spanning Gwangju, the two Jeolla-do provinces and Jeju Island.

msjeon22@korea.kr