Korean textile chief seeks expanded EU partnerships

Choi Byung-oh, president of the Korea Federation of Textile Industries (KOFOTI), is actively forging international alliances to bolster South Korea's textile and fashion sector. During President Lee Jae-myung's state visit to Italy, Choi attended a state banquet hosted by Italian President Sergio Mattarella and a business roundtable in Rome on June 11-12.

The business roundtable, attended by key figures from both nations' industries and economic organizations, focused on strategic economic cooperation amid global shifts in AI and supply chains. Choi emphasized the growing global interest in K-fashion, fueled by the Hallyu wave, and stressed the need to deepen collaboration between Korean companies and Italy's renowned design and craftsmanship.

In Rome, Choi met with Silvana Pezzoli, vice president of Confindustria Moda (Italian Federation of Textile and Fashion Industries), to discuss mutual support for exhibition participation, marketing initiatives, and enhancing capabilities in textile materials and fashion manufacturing. Prior to Italy, Choi engaged with the French Textile Industry Federation (UIT) in Paris, establishing a framework for regular high-level exchanges and exploring joint ventures in exhibition marketing and domestic manufacturing base development.

Further extending his European outreach, Choi visited Centexbel, a Belgian textile research institute, on June 13. Discussions with CEO Pol Lombaert included insights into the EU's Eco-design Regulation (ESPR) and Digital Product Passport (DPP) initiatives. His visit to Centexbel's research labs, focusing on PFAS and chemical recycling of textile waste, underscored a commitment to sustainability and innovation. KOFOTI plans to leverage these international networks to enhance the global competitiveness and sustainable development of the Korean textile and fashion industry.

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As K-culture spreads, global interest in K-fashion is growing, and through this state diplomacy, there is a need to further expand cooperation between Korean textile and fashion companies and Italian companies with world-class design and craftsmanship.