Small firms use Web site for exports

A Web site launched in April 2008 to strengthen overseas marketing efforts at small and midsize exporters has been gaining in popularity.

The Korea International Trade Association said yesterday that the site, TradeKorea.com, facilitated overseas trade worth $83 million on behalf of smaller Korean exporters in the first six months of the year, a sharp increase from $50 million in its first nine months of service.

By product type, agricultural and marine goods and light industrial products accounted for 35.4 percent of the trades made through the service. Machinery was second at 30.7 percent. Electronics and electric goods made up 22 percent, followed by steel, metals and petrochemicals at 11.8 percent.

There was also large-scale trade of high-value products such as solar cell modules, one of which sold for over $10 million.

A plurality of the site’s business came from China, with 44 percent of foreign users logging on from there. Japan came next at 17.3 percent, while 30.7 percent were from other Asian countries including India. European buyers accounted for 19.7 percent, and North Americans, 12.6 percent.

To further expand its online presence the agency will open a home page to connect the 7.5 million Korean businesspeople living abroad. That site will launch Aug 15, Korea’s independence day.

By Lee Ho-jeong [ojlee82@joongang.co.kr]