GANGNEUNG – GTI hosted its first International Trade and Investment Expo from 9-12 June, 2013 to foster economic development and cooperation between Northeast Asian neighbors. With ‘The new Northeast Asian cooperation, development and prosperity’ as its slogan, this inaugural expo successfully drew 520 companies and 3,700 buyers from ten different countries including the GTI member countries. Second day alone conducted 347 business consultations with 155 companies, investment totaling 10.06 million USD. By the end of the Expo, a total of 180 million USD investment deals were made.

The Expo operated several exhibition halls and four outdoor halls. The first exhibition hall displayed strategic industries of Gangwon Province with 73 booths in health, biotechnology, electronics, ceramics, and cosmetics. The second hall exhibited tourism products and included 35 booths of traditional crafts such as jade jewelry, lacquer craft, and more. The third and fifth hall held global products from 59 foreign companies as well as Gangwon’s online products. The sixth hall included food, women entrepreneurs, and tourism promotion groups. Aside from the trade and investment fair, several meetings were held, including the GTI Regional Cooperation Forum, GTI Tourism Board Meeting, and Trade Revitalization Forum.

Gangwon Province, a host of this year’s Expo, plans to annualize this event as it will further contribute to its economic development and development effort.