Editor’s Note
This dispatch details Jinju Mayor Jo Kyu-il’s recent trade mission to Australia, focusing on expanding international markets for the city’s key industries.
Jo Kyu-il, the Mayor of Jinju City in Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea, visited Australia to engage in new market development activities related to eco-friendly agricultural products (green bio), silk, and beauty products.
Jinju City announced on the 18th that the ‘Global Market Development Team’, including Mayor Jo, conducted activities to support entry into the Australian market, such as holding a ‘Green Bio-Silk Export Consultation Meeting’ in Australia.
Following visits to Japan and Indonesia, the Market Development Team visited Australia from the 14th to the 18th to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) pioneer new markets.
The team held an ‘Export Consultation Meeting’ in Sydney on the 17th. Jinju City stated, “Eight companies from the Jinju region participated in the consultation meeting, conducting export discussions focused on consumer goods such as bio-foods, cosmetics, and silk,” adding, “They engaged in active overseas marketing activities, including discovering local buyers and conducting market research.”
– Jo Kyu-il, Mayor of Jinju City
Bruce Billson, the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Park Gyun-ha, Deputy Consul General at the Consulate General in Sydney, and Kim Ki-hwan, Director of the Australian Office of the Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR), visited the consultation meeting venue, showing their interest.
Mayor Jo Kyu-il explained during a field discussion, “We are expanding support so that companies in the Jinju region can create their own opportunities and grow in overseas markets.”
Subsequently, the Market Development Team visited the Korean Cultural Centre in Sydney. Through a meeting with Director Yoon Seon-min, they introduced Jinju silk, traditional crafts, and regional art content.
Jinju City said, “Through the Korean Cultural Centre, we discussed various possibilities for cooperation to inform local Korean residents and Australian citizens about the uniqueness and charm of Jinju’s culture.”
As the final schedule of their Sydney visit, the Market Development Team also toured local distribution networks, including ‘K-mall’, where Jinju’s ‘Jinju Dream’ Yeonghojinmi rice and Jinju pears/pear juice have entered, to check Australian consumers’ responses and product competitiveness.
After completing their schedule in Australia, the Market Development Team will visit Can Tho City, Vietnam, to discuss exchange and cooperation plans and attend the opening ceremony of the ‘2025 Asian Esports Championship (ECA 2025)’.