The Global Start-up & Trade School hosted by World-OKTA is launched at Ajou

[16.07.22]

The '2016 Next Generation Global Start-up & Trade School,' which brings together young overseas Koreans and domestic university students, was launched at Ajou University. About 200 people, including overseas Koreans and university students and others wishing to start their own businesses, are participating in the program.

It is held over six nights and seven days from July 22nd, with the activities for the first two nights and three days, including the entrance ceremony, taking place on the University campus. Subsequent activities will be held at KINTEX located in Goyang City, Gyeonggi-do.

The program is co-hosted by the World-Overseas Korean Traders Associations (World-OKTA), an association of economic and trade activities for Korean businesspeople based in different countries around the globe, and the University based on their partnership. About 120 young overseas Koreans were recommended by 141 World-OKTA offices in 70 countries. They are scheduled to discuss and share ideas about starting businesses and penetrating overseas markets with Korean university students and those wishing to launch their own businesses. In addition, experts in business start-up, marketing, and international trading will give lectures to and have discussions with the participants.

The entrance ceremony for the School, which was held at the auditorium of the University's Dasan Hall, began with opening remarks by World-OKTA Chairman Ki Chool Park, followed by a welcome speech by President Dong Yeon Kim and a pledge by the participants.

President Kim said, "Satoshi Tajiri who developed the Pokémon Go game enjoyed insect collecting as a child and derived his game ideas from the hobby. I believe that he was able to succeed as a game designer because he steadily did what he liked," adding, "I hope you to try to find what you really want to do during this program, which is also the objective of the Paran Semester being carried out by Ajou University."

Then, special lectures by former leader of the Saenuri Party Moo Seong Kim and former leader of the People's Party Cheol Soo Ahn followed. Kim said, "Youth is a privilege. I ask that you spend your time in an efficient manner." He then mentioned Korea's history and current domestic and international situations facing the country, emphasizing, "You should be proud of the economic and democratic achievements that this country has made. In order to continue its development in the current challenging times, the country needs the talent of young people like you."

Ahn gave advice to the participants based on his business start-up experience as a leading expert in the field. He compared advanced economies where an investment culture is established and Korea's venture industry that depends heavily on debt, and he explained how to reduce the risk of failure in starting a business. He recommended creating a good team with two to four members, making products that customers would like, attracting investments from outside, and taking a phased approach in execution.

For the second and third days, Ajou professors and experts from outside the University are scheduled to give lectures on different topics, along with team projects on starting businesses and marketing and mentoring, and team missions for identifying business items through visits to traditional markets and Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon.

World-OKTA has been organizing the Next Generation Trade School for young overseas Koreans since 2003. It aims to assist the participants in becoming next-generation economic leaders through education on international trade practices and expanding their human networks. Ajou University has formed a close partnership with World-OKTA, including the operation of the Student Internship and the Global Start-up Academy, etc.