Imagine the surprise and frustration of 70 South Korean companies arriving at a major beauty products expo in Las Vegas only to find that their exhibition items had vanished. This is exactly what happened at the 2024 Cosmoprof North America Las Vegas Exhibition, held from July 23 to July 25.
Over 120 South Korean companies were slated to participate in this prestigious event, one of the world’s top three beauty products exhibitions alongside Bologna’s Cosmoprof and Hong Kong’s Cosmoprof. The Korea Federation of Small and Medium Enterprises meticulously organized a Korean pavilion, showcasing the thorough preparations by Korean companies and related organizations. Yet, the evening before the opening, many booths remained empty.
The culprit? A container filled with exhibition items had mysteriously disappeared en route from the Port of Los Angeles to Las Vegas. According to the Korea International Trade Association, the truck driver fell victim to a voice phishing scam, being told that the items could not be brought into the exhibition hall and should be unloaded elsewhere.
Logistics experts were baffled. Jongsung Lim, general manager of NGL Transportation, explained, “The most common type of scam involves using or impersonating logistics-company information to intercept cargo at ports. This is the first time we have encountered a scam where the cargo was redirected by voice phishing.”
Another logistics expert noted, “It’s hard to believe the container disappeared due to voice phishing, especially since advancements in technology allow for tracking the location of both trucks and containers.” The situation was absurd on many levels.
The Korea International Trade Association has requested a police investigation into the incident. An official said, “The Korean logistics company that sent the container from South Korea has requested an investigation, and an inquiry into the American transportation company responsible for the inland transport will be conducted.”
All the affected companies used logistics services designated by the Korea Exhibition Company, which “selected the logistics company that sent the container from South Korea,” an official of the trade association said, adding that “the American transportation company that lost the container was a partner of the designated logistics company.” The responsibility for this fiasco is expected to lead to disputes among the involved companies.
In response, the Korea Exhibition Company admitted, “While the logistics company’s responsibility for the incident is clear, we will discuss compensation issues as we were the ones who selected the company.”
The theft of the container left many companies facing empty booths on the first day of the exhibition. It was only on the second day that they could display their items, having received them urgently from South Korea via a Korean Air flight to Las Vegas.
“The exhibition items were rushed from South Korea on July 23, and the companies that received their items started operating their booths from the second day,” a trade association official said.
The 2024 Cosmoprof North America Las Vegas Exhibition concluded on July 25, with the stolen container still missing. This incident will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the most bizarre and frustrating episodes in the history of international trade shows.
By Mooyoung Lee lee.mooyoung@koreadaily.com
