[Opinion] Export Veterans

“We had a good business meeting with overseas buyers but failed to export anything due to a lack of follow-up.” Although about 90 percent of 500 small-and-medium-sized companies which participated in the market pioneer program hosted by the Korea Trade Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) last year had meetings with buyers, only 40 percent of them successfully signed on a contract. The reasons for the failure of signing a contract include lack of expert employees and language problems. Half of the participants even said, “We have not a single expert.” Under these circumstances, a country which emerged based on exports missed out on potential dollars due to insufficient experts.

Park Kwang is a 59-year-old exporter who exported garments and electronics in Daewoo Group for 25 years. Starting from last year, he has been running an export-related consulting firm and gives lectures on practical international business at KOTRA. He feels that the know-how that he accumulated by meeting buyers all over the Middle East, Europe, and Asia is too good to be left to rust. He thinks items too good to lose abound, including not only exporting “Made in Korea” products but also gaining value added through 3-country transactions and earning profits by participating in local distribution.

KOTRA decided to transfer the experiences of exporters from the 1970s and 80s to small-and-medium-sized companies which are having hard times exporting. That would be a perfect match. Fifty “export veterans,” 56 years old on average, who worked for general trading companies, exporting companies, or export-related organizations for 10 to 20 years, will be at the forefront of export again. They were selected out of more than 200 applicants through documentation, foreign language testing, and an in-depth interview. The service spirit is also part of selection standards. They will receive 1.5 million won a month, which is nothing compared to the expediency funds in their good old days.

The 50 supporters who gained an opportunity to show their ability again had a big smile on their faces, clenching their fists, in the launching ceremony on May 22. KOTRA had the 150 companies to be supported pay 100,000 won a month, thinking that they might not value a free service. Beginning from June 1, each supporter will be assigned to three companies and advise on exporting for three to six months. They not only write business letters in foreign languages but also go on domestic and overseas business trip and help the companies in meetings with buyers. KOTRA asked them to “produce results.” Such collaboration would be possible in many sectors other than exports.

Hong Kwon-hee, Editorial Writer, konihong@donga.com