Choi Byung-oh, Chairman of Fashion Group Hyungji (left), and Choi Hye-won, CEO of Hyungji I&C, participated in the economic delegation during President Lee Jae-myung's state visit to Italy. [Photo=Fashion Group Hyungji]
Fashion Group Hyungji announced on June 15 that Chairman Choi Byung-oh participated in the economic delegation accompanying President Lee Jae-myung during his state visit to Italy, where he promoted the competitiveness of K-Fashion to key local political and business leaders.
According to Fashion Group Hyungji, Choi's eldest daughter, Choi Hye-won, CEO of Hyungji I&C, also joined the delegation. The company explained that her participation was aimed at strengthening group-level support for Hyungji I&C's overseas expansion and enhancing synergy among its subsidiaries.
On June 12, Choi attended a Korea-Italy business roundtable and a networking reception organized by the Korea Economic Association and the Italian Business Association in Rome. Notable attendees included Lee Jae-yong, Chairman of Samsung Electronics; Koo Ja-eun, Chairman of LS Group; Cho Hyun-joon, Chairman of Hyosung Group; Sung Kim, President of Hyundai Motor Group; Kim Dong-chun, CEO of LG Chem; and Choi Soo-yeon, CEO of Naver.
During the event, Choi emphasized that Fashion Group Hyungji and its major subsidiaries have long-standing partnerships with the Italian fashion and textile industry and proposed collaboration strategies to enhance the growth potential of the fashion sectors in both countries.
He also met with local textile and fashion officials, including Silvana Petzoli, President of the Italian Fashion Association (EMI), to discuss the digital transformation achievements of Hyungji I&C and its plans for entering the European market.
Choi outlined strategies to strengthen local competitiveness using premium fabrics. Hyungji I&C anticipates a growing demand for high-performance clothing that responds to climate change in Europe and has agreed to form a consortium with Carvico, a premium fabric specialist in Italy. The two companies plan to develop high-performance materials capable of addressing climate challenges such as extreme heat and heavy rainfall, aiming to penetrate the European market based on these innovations.
A representative from Fashion Group Hyungji stated, "Participation in this economic delegation to Italy is a significant opportunity that aligns with the government's initiatives to foster K-brands and expand exports."
Meanwhile, Chairman Choi visited France, Italy, and Belgium from June 10 to 15 to discuss sustainability, digital transformation, and industrial innovation with key officials from local textile and fashion organizations.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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