KICOX President Kang  Nam-hoon gives a speech at the 18th TCI Global Conference.

The 18th TCI Global Conference (TCI 2015) wrapped up a four-day run at EXCO in Daegu on Nov. 6 under the theme “Clusters in a Creative Economy, New Agendas for Companies and Policy Makers.” The TCI 2015 was an opportunity to explore cluster models when it comes to improving the competitiveness of state, district and company in the context of a creative economy, offer global cluster networking exchanges and create a chapter of cooperation. 

On Oct. 15 prior to the opening of the TCI 2015, Korea Industrial Complex Corp. (KICOX), representing Korea’s cluster support institutions, signed an MOU on the economic development of Korea and the United States, exchanges among companies and the cooperation of cluster exchanges for creating jobs with the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA), a bureau within the U.S. Department of Commerce. 

The TCI 2015 was hosted by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) and jointly organized by KICOX and TCI Network. The conference took place as part of KICOX’s project to cooperate in global industry cluster network exchanges. 

The event attracted some 900 people from 86 countries, including government officials, policy makers, experts from universities and research institutes, as well as masters from large companies and SMEs. The TCI 2015, tailored to meet mutual concern between industry and campus circles, coincided with an academic seminar, an export negotiation meeting, an exhibition of corporate marketing pavilions, and other diverse business programs as well as side events, including a cluster tour.

On Nov. 3, the first day of the event, some 300 foreign economic development officials and cluster experts participated in a program to tour seven industrial clusters across the nation to look at the current situation of cluster policies. They exchanged diverse questions and answers during the program. The reality of Korean industrial complexes evolves from the Korean government’s launching of cluster policies a decade ago with the goal of establishing cluster policies. 

On Day 2, 18 buyers from four countries, including India and China, who were invited to the export negotiation session, held 111 export negotiation meetings with 36 Korean companies. Currently, negotiations are underway on deals worth $40 million of 43 export cases. Exporting deals worth $220,000 were signed on the spot thanks to prior arrangements between influential buyers with purchasing power and Korean SMEs. 

The academic seminar lasted three days. Under the theme “Clusters in a Creative Economy, New Agendas for Companies and Policy-makers,” six theme lectures and 70-odd papers were presented. Prof. Christian Ketels of Harvard University spoke on the direction of cluster policies for the creation of a creative economy, the seminar attracted some 20 Korean and foreign renowned academicians, industrial masters and experts from the World Bank and other international institutions. 

Experts from Hyundai Motor, POSCO and Samsung Economic Research Institute also spoke at a seminar chaired by emeritus professor Park Sam-ok of Seoul National University. 

A government official from a developing country said Korean cluster strategy is one of the successful models, and it was good to have an opportunity to discuss cluster policies in Asia, Europe and North America. He also expressed the hope of havinf additional talks on cooperating cluster exchanges with Korea. 

Dignitaries, including Deputy Minister Hwang Kyu-yeon of the Office of Industrial Creativity and Innovation at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, and KICOX President Kang Nam-hoon attend the 18th ICI Global Conference at EXCO.(Photos:KICOX)