Business leaders from around the world are converging in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China. The 30th World Korean Economic Conference, organized by the World Federation of Korean Business Associations (World OKTA) and the 2026 Korea Business Expo Shenzhen (KBES), will take place from October 8 to 10 at the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center.
World OKTA, the organizing body, is a global platform with a network spanning 157 cities in 76 countries. The annual World Korean Economic Conference serves as a venue for information exchange among overseas Korean businesspeople and acts as a gateway for South Korean small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to enter the global market.
This year's event will bring together World OKTA members and international buyers to support the overseas expansion of South Korean SMEs. The expo will feature over 550 booths in a 22,500 square meter exhibition space, accommodating more than 2,000 buyers. The participation format is tailored to suit various business sizes and objectives, including basic booths, showcase booths, and independent booths.
Notably, the Korea Business Expo has achieved over 90% satisfaction among participating companies in previous events held in Vienna in 2024 and Andong and Incheon in 2025, along with millions of dollars in export consultations. The Shenzhen event is expected to mark another significant leap forward.
Impressive $500 Million in Actual Contracts
The Korea Business Expo is a global business platform launched by World OKTA, formed by 7.5 million overseas Koreans, to effectively support the global expansion of South Korean SMEs. Leveraging its global network, World OKTA facilitates business connections between international buyers and domestic companies.
The expo plays a crucial role as a partner for South Korean SMEs seeking to enter foreign markets. It supports buyer matching and export consultations while aiding in market development. The event promotes global business networking and aims to revitalize local economies and enhance global branding.
Having successfully conducted three previous events, the expo has proven its effectiveness. The 2024 conference in Vienna attracted over 5,000 participants, including buyers, companies, and attendees, with more than 400 domestic and international companies involved. It resulted in 4,807 export consultations worth $479 million and 213 memorandums of understanding (MOUs) valued at $17.9 million. Additionally, actual contracts worth approximately $460 million were signed.
The 2025 conference in Andong saw participation from over 2,000 individuals, with 250 companies and organizations involved. It generated 2,202 export consultations worth $173 million and 133 MOUs totaling $22.1 million, leading to actual contracts worth about $120 million.
In the same year, the Incheon conference attracted over 5,000 participants and featured more than 450 domestic and international companies. It resulted in 4,082 export consultations worth $310 million and 84 MOUs valued at $18.4 million, culminating in actual contracts worth $1 million.
Now, in 2026, the conference moves to Shenzhen, China's largest high-tech industrial city, with over 5,000 participants and more than 240 domestic and international companies. It recorded 3,406 export consultations worth $796.5 million and 152 MOUs valued at $16.2 million.
Three-Day Journey in Shenzhen
The first day of the event, October 8, will feature an opening ceremony from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., followed by a welcome dinner from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. This will be an opportunity for Korean businesspeople from various countries to connect and establish new relationships in an unfamiliar city.
The second day, October 9, will begin with a global marketing workshop from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Additionally, the third World OKTA Global Startup Competition Shenzhen preliminaries will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., showcasing the challenges faced by the next generation of Korean entrepreneurs. The '2026 Korea Business Expo Shenzhen' exhibition and export consultation will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., facilitating actual business matching. A trade committee meeting will occur from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., followed by a trade night forum from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
The final day, October 10, will continue the exhibition and export consultation from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. A board meeting will take place from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., followed by a special general meeting from 6 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The closing ceremony will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., concluding with a dinner from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Experience Korean Wave Cultural Content
The program will also include cultural events. On October 9 and 10, promotional booths and K-content beauty and food experience areas, along with a Wanghong live commerce experience space, will be operational. This will not only be a venue for exchanging business cards but also a cultural exchange platform where participants can directly experience Korean Wave content and the beauty and food industries. Activities such as K-POP performances and cultural tourism experiences in Shenzhen are planned.
In particular, the live commerce promotion utilizing Wanghong, or Chinese influencers, targets recent trends in the Chinese consumer market. This program aims to create real-time consumer touchpoints, moving beyond traditional B2B consultations and opening new avenues for participating companies.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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