Choi Byung-oh, Chairman of the Korea Federation of Textile Industries (KFI) and head of Fashion Group Hyungji, is seeking re-election. He highlighted the strengthening of unity within the textile industry and the recovery of its presence over the past three years as key achievements. However, he expressed disappointment over the lack of concrete results despite his extensive engagement in the field.
Choi spoke with reporters on August 19 at the Preview in Seoul (PIS) 2026, a global textile sourcing exhibition held at COEX in Gangnam, Seoul. He stated, "The biggest achievement during my three-year term has been the unity among textile professionals and demonstrating that our textile industry is alive." He has served as the chairman of KFI since 2023.
He cited specific examples such as the renewal of the textile center, the organization of industry unity events, and the activation of various forums. He also emphasized the expansion of PIS, the country's leading textile material exhibition. Choi noted, "The number of overseas companies and buyers visiting PIS continues to grow. This year, 526 companies participated, including 259 from abroad, and we invited about 1,000 major overseas buyers." This indicates that the domestic textile industry is focusing on expanding overseas markets amid domestic stagnation and intensified global competition.
However, he acknowledged that his efforts have not yet yielded sufficient tangible outcomes. Choi remarked, "I have traveled extensively to hear the voices from the industry, but I feel that the results from the field have been somewhat lacking."
If re-elected, Choi plans to focus on changing perceptions of the textile industry. He aims to shift its image from a labor-intensive and challenging sector to a future industry that integrates artificial intelligence (AI), advanced materials, and digital technologies. Choi emphasized, "We need to look at the textile industry from various angles. It will be a high-tech industry and a crucial momentum for K-fashion to advance globally."
Meanwhile, KFI established a nomination committee during its second board meeting in June, which held three meetings and gathered industry opinions before nominating Choi as the candidate for the 17th chairman.
However, at an extraordinary general meeting held on the same day, concerns were raised that the composition of the nomination committee was biased toward specific sectors and did not adequately reflect industry diversity. As a result, KFI decided to reconstitute the nomination committee and restart the process for selecting the next chairman. Consequently, Choi's term, originally set to end on August 18, will be extended for up to six months until a new chairman is appointed.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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