KITA expands global network with new offices in Vietnam, Brazil

SEOUL, November 21 (AJP) - The Korea International Trade Association (KITA) has opened new offices in Hanoi and São Paulo, advancing its strategy to deepen ties with emerging markets across the Global South.

KITA held an opening ceremony for its Hanoi office on Nov. 20 at the Lotte Hotel Hanoi. The event drew some 90 officials, including KITA Chairman Yoon Jin-sik, Vu Ba Phu, director general of Vietnam’s Trade Promotion Agency, and Jang Ho-seung, South Korea’s consul general in Vietnam.

“South Korea and Vietnam are among each other’s top three trading partners, with bilateral trade reaching $86.8 billion annually,” Yoon said. “The Hanoi office will play a key role within the comprehensive industrial cooperation framework established by both governments.”

The new facility is KITA’s second in Vietnam after Ho Chi Minh City. Situated in the capital, it will provide support for South Korean companies navigating regulatory and market-entry challenges in northern and central Vietnam, while strengthening KITA’s on-the-ground marketing and advisory services.

Two days earlier, on Nov. 18, KITA marked the opening of its São Paulo office in Brazil. The ceremony was attended by KITA Executive Director Jang Seok-min and South Korea’s consul general in São Paulo, Chae Jin-won, alongside about 50 officials. The São Paulo office is expected to help Korean companies improve market access and identify new business opportunities across Latin America, with Brazil serving as the region’s anchor economy.

The openings in Vietnam and Brazil follow the launch of a Johannesburg office last month, part of KITA’s plan to build a network of strategic bases across Africa, Latin America and ASEAN. The trade association says the expanded footprint will strengthen support for South Korean companies seeking to grow in emerging markets and broaden their global reach.

* This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP.

Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.