The meeting, hosted by the group's Santiago chapter, drew regional officers and branch presidents from across the continent, along with South Korean Ambassador to Chile Kim Hak-jae and other local dignitaries.
"Latin America is a land of opportunity, but the sheer distances between countries make it hard for members to meet often," Santiago chapter president Han Bong-rae said in an opening address, expressing hope the gathering would translate shared experience into concrete business.
Delegates reviewed the strain on several under resourced chapters and weighed inclusive ways to draw dormant members back, agreeing that a unified regional event could help rebuild networks and tighten organizational bonds.
Participants floated pairing a next-generation trade school with a regional business convention in Santiago in mid-2027, an event envisioned to host about 200 to 300 people.
The program also featured a lecture on Latin American economic trends by a KOTRA trade official and a talk on deploying artificial intelligence in business, as attendees examined how fast-shifting conditions and emerging technology are reshaping trade in practice.
Founded in 1981, World-OKTA is the largest economic body representing ethnic Koreans abroad, linking Korean business figures across 157 chapters in 76 countries to promote exports and overseas expansion for South Korean firms.
AJP Takeaways
- World-OKTA convened its 2026 gathering for small Latin American chapters in Santiago, Chile, on Sept. 3, 2026, bringing together regional officers and branch presidents to address falling membership and weakening ties across the continent.
- Delegates weighed pairing a next-generation trade school with a regional business convention in Santiago in mid-2027, an event envisioned to draw about 200 to 300 participants.
- Founded in 1981, World-OKTA is the largest economic organization representing ethnic Koreans abroad, linking business figures across 157 chapters in 76 countries to support South Korean exports and overseas expansion.
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