Organizers

Korea’s Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy (“MOCIE”) is the ministry responsible for important policies concerning industry, trade, and energy and resources. Its role and function have changed through the years as the Korean economy has grown in size.

The Ministry was initially launched as the Ministry of Commerce in 1948 at the birth of the Republic of Korea. At that time, the Ministry oversaw the young nation’s primary industries such as fisheries and mining as well as secondary and tertiary industries including manufacturing and commercial activities. With rapid industrialization and the growing urgency for securing energy, the energy and resources section became an independent agency, which was renamed the Ministry of Power and Resources in 1977. However, later on the energy section was re-integrated into the ministry to efficiently implement industrial policies.

In 1998. government ministries were reorganized to boost efficiency in the public sector and to help overcome the Asian financial crisis. As a result, functions related to trade and small- and medium-sized enterprises were transferred to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Small and Medium Business Administration respectively.

The Korean Electricity Commission was launched in 2001 to pursue restructuring of the power industry. With the inauguration of President Roh Moo-hyun and the “Participatory Government” in 2002, the Ministry has accelerated efforts to promote national balanced development.

For more information on MOCIE, please contact Bo-sun Choi at 011-82-2-2110-5362 or email choibo@mocie.go.kr

MOCIE Headquarters
3 Joongang-dong, Gwacheo city, Gyeonggi-do, KOREA
TEL: 011-82-2-503-9410 (main)
FAX: 011- 82-2-503-9435

KOTRA came into being as the Korea Trade Promotion Corporation, a non-profit governmental organization established June 21, 1962 to pursue the national policy goals of maintaining the trade balance and building a self-reliant economy.

Since its foundation, KOTRA has been committed to promoting mutual prosperity between Korea and its trading partners through international commerce and investment. The experts in its worldwide network of Korea Trade Centers help Korean exporters to meet local requirements and to provide personal service to overseas companies that seek to do business with Korea.

In August 1995, KOTRA added cross-border investment promotion and support for technological and industrial cooperation projects to its mandate, assuming its present name of the “Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency.”

Invest KOREA (formerly KISC or Korea Investment Service Center) was established within KOTRA in 1998 as the country’s sole authorized investment promotion organization, vested with the function of providing foreign investors with one-stop service intended to cover everything from investment plan consultation to settlement support.

To execute its mandate more efficiently, KOTRA has built an extensive worldwide network of overseas Korea Trade Center (KTC). 102 KTCs operate in 74 countries as of June 2006.

For more information on KOTRA, please contact Helen Ahn, KOTRA New York 1-212-826-0900 or email helenahn@kotra.or.kr

KOTRA Headquarters
300-9, Yomgok-dong, Secho-gu, Seoul, KOREA
TEL: 011-82-2-3460-7114 (main)
FAX: 011-82-2-3460-7777

Invest KOREA is Korea's national investment promotion agency, established and operating as a business arm of the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA). Invest KOREA's mission is to promote foreign investment in Korea, to facilitate the entry and successful establishment of foreign businesses, and to provide necessary support after the business set-up.

Invest KOREA's services vary, depending on the stage of the investment. Through its One-Stop Service, Invest KOREA assists investors throughout the investment process. The scope of Invest KOREA's services includes market research, investment consultation, partner search, site selection, advice on possible incentives, administrative processing and mediating any regulatory difficulties. A Project Manager (PM) is appointed for each potential investor at the initial stage and is in charge of all the mentioned services.

Invest KOREA also provides after-care services once investors establish their businesses or make investments in Korea. This support helps to resolve business management difficulties and endeavors to upgrade the quality of Korea's administrative services and to improve the country's overall investment environment.

The agency is headed by Dong-soo Chung and is staffed with experts in FDI and relevant industrial sectors as well as specialist public servants. Besides its Seoul headquarters, Invest KOREA operates through 36 overseas branch offices worldwide, ensuring efficient on-the-spot support to foreign investors.

For more information on Invest KOREA, please contact Seung-a Lee at 011-82-2-3460-7598 or email allison@kotra.or.kr

Invest KOREA Headquarters
300-9, Yomgok-dong, Secho-gu, Seoul, KOREA
TEL: 011-82-2-3460-7114 (main)
FAX: 011-82-2-3460-7949