President Lee Byung-ho delivers his inaugural speech at a ceremony on Feb. 18 at the company’s head office in Naju, North Jeolla Province.

President Lee Byung-ho got a letter of appointment to be the 18th CEO of the Korea Agro-Fisheries and Food Trade Corp. (aT) from Minister Kim Young-rok of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs on Feb. 19.

He said he will try to run aT as effectively as he can by balancing the operation of each sector of aT’s business, including a stable supply of food and farm products, improving their exchange, exports of farm produce and nurturing the food industry. 

All the efforts are aimed at enhancing the competitiveness of the agricultural sector. He will also work for the development of farm towns with multifunctional farms that are environmentally and ecologically viable, not just enhancing the competitiveness of farms. The new aT CEO said he will try to improve the salaries and welfare policies to stabilize the operation of aT, which has been the focus of the labor union. 

He said he will try to ease excessive stress over performance results, push for the redevelopment of public floral sales outlets, increase the number of employees to lighten employees’ workloads, and turn as many non-regular employees to full-time employees as possible.

The new president is a graduate of Gyeonggi High School in Seoul and Seoul National University. He was president of the Seoul City Agro-Fisheries and Food Trade Corp. from 2012 to 2015.

Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT) has started to develop overseas markets for agricultural products by cooperating with Hallyu stars in a marketing support program in 2017.

The Agri-food Star Collabo-Marketing is a business that links up five Korean small and medium-sized enterprises who manufacture excellent Korean food products with Korean Wave stars. It not only helps raise brand awareness of SMEs, but also expands the base of overseas consumption target of these five SMEs.

Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation has selected Nichkhun and Junho (Lee Junho), who are members of the popular Korean idol group 2PM, to be the product representatives of the campaign. They are the symbol of health in Korea and also have a high reputation around the globe, especially in the U.S., Cambodia, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan, which are target export places.

Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation has made various promotional content, such as posters, life-size figures and promotional banners, which utilize the concept and features of the product so that the products of the selected companies can be imprinted on the minds of consumers. 

In addition, the content produced through The Agri-food Star Collabo-Marketing project will be advertised in various ways, such as wrap advertising, paper advertising, and outdoor advertising in the target countries and regions this year.

Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation will do its best to attract global consumers' appetite for Korean agriculture products by starting 'The Agri-food Star Collabo-Marketing'campaign. 

New aT CEO Lee Byung-ho pose for a photo session with the entire executives and managers of aT following the inaugural ceremony held on Feb. 18 at the company’s head office in Naju, North Jeolla Province.(Photos: aT)