Leaders of Korean-American organizations will visit their motherland in the coming weeks to attend a series of networking events. Approximately 450 of them will be Korea-bound for various conventions across the Korean peninsula.
For starters, the Los Angeles chapter of Korean Chamber of Commerce will send 28 members, including its president Eun Lee, chief director Kyoung-wan Koo and executive officers Park Ki-hong, Cindy Cho and Jin-hyeok Jang to the 15th World Korean Business Convention, which will take place from Sept. 27 to 29 in Jeju Island, South Korea.
“This is the largest number of participants we’re sending to this meeting,” said Lee. “Our executives will explore potential business opportunities in Jeju Island, while also trying to build an amiable relationship with other participants.”
The World Korean Business Convention is an annual networking event for about 1,000 ethnic Koreans to meet with South Korea’s businesspeople.
Early next month, the U.S.-based Federation of Korean Associations will also send 110 members to South Korean capital Seoul for the 2016 World Korean Presidents Convention.
The organization president Jae-kwon Kim, vice president Seung-koo Guk, commissioner Paul Song and executive director Dae-hyeon Jang will be among the attendees. Organization leaders at the event will discuss the petition, which aims for 10 million signatures, in response to North Korea’s nuclear programs.
“Our organization has been split into separate divisions over the last two years, so we couldn’t participate in this event,” said Kim of the event set to be held from Oct. 4 to 7. “We will be attending the event as presidents of our organization across the U.S. and restore the reputation of the Korean-American community.”
During the same period, South Korea’s Gangwon Province will host the 21st World-OKTA Convention, another networking event for businesspeople who are interested in importing, investing and international employment.
About 50 members of World-OKTA’s L.A. branch, including former president Chung-gil Lee, current president Byeong-ho Min and executive director Moo-ho Kim, will attend the event.
Lee, who leads World-OKTA’s L.A. branch, will also be running in the head organization’s presidential election, which is set to occur during the convention.
By Hyoung Jae Kim
