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Coupang co-hosts conference to support SMEs in Seattle exporting to Korea, the world’s fourth largest e-commerce market

On September 7 – 8, 2022, Coupang co-hosted a conference to support small businesses in Seattle in collaboration with Greater Seattle Partners, the Washington Department of Commerce, Port of Seattle, and Amazon. The conference, titled “Small Business Growth and Resiliency Through Export Opportunities in U.S.-Korea Trade,” was aimed at small to medium-sized business owners and entrepreneurs in Seattle who were already active in South Korea or interested in entering the market.  

With over $80 billion in trade between the two regions over the last 10 years, Korea has long been one of the Seattle area’s largest trading partners, representing a major growth opportunity for small businesses in Seattle and the rest of Washington. Coupang has also been working to actively strengthen this relationship, fostering hundreds of jobs in the state and creating an annual average of $158.9 million in additional economic output through the company’s exports and operations. 

“This long-standing mutually beneficial relationship provides a strong foundation for more of our small to medium-sized companies to increase their exports to South Korea, while also diversifying risk and growing faster,” said Brian Surratt, the CEO of Greater Seattle Partners. 

On the 7th, a reception was held for the conference, hosted by Coupang’s Head of Public Affairs Alex Wong. Speakers at the reception included:  

  • Gary Locke, former U.S. Ambassador to China/U.S. Secretary of Commerce/Washington Governor 
  • Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) 
  • Cindy Ryu, Washington State Representative, 32nd District 
  • Sam Cho, Commissioner for Port of Seattle 
  • Brian Surratt, Greater Seattle Partners CEO 
  • Eun-ji Seo, Consul General of the Republic of Korea in Seattle 

Meanwhile, speakers at the all-day conference on the 8th included: 

  • Isabella Guzman, Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration 
  • Tae-yong Cho, Ambassador of South Korea to the U.S. 
  • Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) 
  • Bruce Harrell, Mayor of Seattle 
  • Dr. Lisa Brown, Director of the Washington State Department of Commerce 

The conference covered a wide range of topics, including an overview of the foreign and local export market, tips and insights for entering the South Korean marketplace, and resources for small business exporters.  

“Coupang’s choice and growth in Seattle is a testament to the fact that we are no longer just known for tech companies Microsoft or Amazon,” said Port of Seattle Commissioner Sam Cho. “It shows that our region is on the radar of every major global company looking for a talented workforce with a global mindset—especially in logistics and international commerce.” He added, “The recent Small Business Growth Conference focused on exporting to South Korea hosted by the Port of Seattle and sponsored by Coupang is just one example of how their presence is bringing new economic opportunities to the diaspora communities and overall region.”  

“We aim to transform the commerce experience for customers through technology, and we believe that such innovations create powerful new opportunities for small businesses as well,” said a Coupang representative. “We remain committed to building new paths for local SMEs in Seattle to connect to our millions of customers in Korea, serving as the bridge between the city and the fourth largest e-commerce opportunity in the world, and look forward to further strengthening these ties in the future.” 

View and read select press coverage: 

For sellers interested in learning how Coupang can connect them to our millions of customers in Korea, please visit our Global Sellers page. 

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