'창업•벤처 육성, 혁신성장…나라장터 엑스포서 답을 찾는다'
The government rolled up its sleeve to help start-ups find regular buyers.
Over 400 SMEs participated in the annual public procurement exhibition.
Our Cha Sang-mi went to check out that expo.
In an effort to promote entrepreneurship and help venture firms grow, Korea's Public Procurement Service sprang up to match small and medium sized companies with domestic and international buyers.
The 2019 Korea Public Procurement Expo opened on Wednesday at KINTEX in Ilsan.
"On display at this year’s expo are the latest innovative products like drones, 3D printers and self-driving cars. The government is looking to find and help these venture companies and tech start-ups to help them find regular clients for their products."
440 SMEs are showing off their latest products and patents at the three-day expo.
Their products range from monitors to electric road sweepers that wash fine dust off the ground.
"This expo was organized to open a new path of public procurement for new venture companies. So far, even though the start-ups and venture firms made good products, they didn't have the chance to promote their products properly. We hope this expo will help them sell their innovative goods."
Participants have the chance to expand their sales channels and learn more about the current trends in the government procurement market.
"We are a 3D printing manufacturing company. We have come to this expo to try to seize the opportunity of meetings with foreign buyers. I am hoping to hear some good results from my meeting today.
More than 160 foreign government officials and buyers from 28 different countries are visiting to look for business opportunities and partnerships.
"You know.. Swaziland is not a high manufacturing country, so a lot of our products we import. For example, I've got an interest here in the street lighting system because currently our local governments are busy trying to procure lighting systems for their different towns."
Foreign buyers say the experience is a unique chance for them to get hands-on experience of the products they are interested in.
Cha Sang-mi, Arirang News.
