Korean Experts Aid Indonesian Furniture Manufacturers Enter Korean Market

At the end of this April, I’ve got an invitation from The Ministry of Trade of Indonesia to attend the opening of seminar entitled “Product Development Workshop for Indonesian Furniture Manufacturers”. This seminar held by Asean-Korea Center (AKC) in cooperation with Directorate General of National Export Development The Ministry of Trade of Indonesia.



AKC is an international organization mandated to promote cooperation between the 10 Asean member states and Korea, based in Seoul, South Korea. This organization was organized the seminar to invigorate economic exchanges between Indonesia and Korea by promoting product development cooperation in Indonesia’s export-competitive furniture industry.

South Korean Ambassador to Indonesia, Cho Tae-Young

In the opening speech, South Korean Ambassador to Indonesia Cho Tae-Young said that this seminar is very important for both Indonesia and Korea to boost their bilateral trade relationship.

“Through this workshop, I hope Indonesian furniture manufacturers are be able to figure out the what kind of furniture and its designs which is becoming trend and satisfy consumer tastes in Korea,” Cho Tae-Young Said.

Meanwhile, Second Deputy Head of Asean-Korea Center Ki Bong Moon said that this seminar and workshop is also to give more information about Korea market acces in furniture products for Indonesian would-be exporters especially the standard of the quality products.

“Indonesia is expected to contribute more to satisfy the growing demand of wooden furniture in Korea,” Ki Bong Moon added.

Second Deputy Head of Asean-Korea Center, Ki Bong Moon

Asean-Korea Center sent some Korean experts to give lectures on this seminar, such as Profesor Kang Min Lee from Korea Polytechnic University, General Manager Livart Co. Hye Jin Kang, Chief Designer EMONS Co. Kyung Bin Na, CEO In The Furniture Jong Woo Hong and CEO Korea Biz Tech Consulting Seung So Choi. The experts give presentations on various topics from design trends, quality enhancement methods to purchasing trends and procedures.

From this seminar I came to know that as of 2014, Indonesia is Korea’s number 7 furniture importing country (55,47 million USD), which out of the Asean member states is the highest ranking after Vietnam.

According to Director General of Domestic Trade The Ministry of Trade of Indonesia Srie Agustina in her opening ceremony speech, quoted the calculation of The Asean-Korea Center, Indonesian furniture export to Korea could increase two fold in three years to come if Indonesia furniture manufacturers continues to maintain its consistency in enhancing their quality product.



“Korea is potential market to our furniture products, for that Indonesian furniture manufacturers are to be more aware about Korean market demands, the design trend, the quality and the procedures of the market acces,” Srie Agustina said.

On that occasion, Second Deputy Head of Asean-Korea Center Ki Bong Moon revealed that the Korean consumers’ preferences today tend to look for the furniture with simple design and minimized size, because many people in Korea live in limited-spacious apartments.

*this article also published at blog.korea.net  and at korea.net