The fair will see the largest entry so far from Korea, a regular exhibitor for the past 10 years. A total of 52 Korean firms will be represented, 34 participating at the integrated booth set up by the Korean trade agency, KOTRA, and 18 entering individually. 'Korea exports US$1.6 billion worth of leather worldwide every year and Hong Kong is our second biggest market, after China,' the director of the Korean Trade Centre, Cho Young-bok, said. Korean leather exports to Hong Kong account for well over US$420 million. The bulk of this is made up of leather skins, with finished products such as shoes and garments accounting for less than three per cent. 'We will have a 450-square-metre pavilion and will exhibit everything from leather skins - both natural and artificial - to processing machinery, chemicals for dying and finished products such as shoes, bags and belts,' Mr Cho said. The Duck Chun company, a major pig skin tannery, will be the largest Korean firm at the pavilion. A regular at the fair, Duck Chun specialises in waterproof and washable suede pig skin as well as embossed, buffed re-dyed pig skin. Compared with cow hides and sheep skin, pig skin is reasonably priced and has the advantage of being lighter and softer than other skins. Participating for the first time will be Su Nam Industrial Company, a specialist tannery manufacturing bovine leather for shoes. Established in 1981, the firm supplies top brand names such as Reebok, Fila and Nike. Su Nam exports US$24 million worth of leather annually and is hoping that the fair will help enhance its international standing. Tanneries specialising in leather for bags include Kyung Woo Company and Hong Jin Leather Industry Company. Kyung Woo exports US$20 million worth of cow hides annually - 70 per cent of which are destined for the Hong Kong market. Hong Jin focuses on urethane patent leather and split embossed leather for handbags and wallets.
