[Edaily Reporter Oh Hee-na ] Cho Sang-hyun (pictured), CEO of COEX, has been appointed as the new chairman of the Korea Exhibition Industry Promotion Association. Drawing on 35 years of experience in the trade and commerce sector, he is expected to take the competitiveness of the domestic exhibition industry to the next level.

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announced on the 20th that it held a board of directors meeting and an extraordinary general meeting at SETEC in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, on the 19th, and appointed Cho Sang-hyun, CEO and President of COEX, as its 20th chairman. The new chairman’s two-year term begins on the 1st of next month.
Born in 1967, the newly appointed Chairman Cho is a trade and commerce expert who, over the past 35 years, has supported corporate growth and expansion into overseas markets in the fields of trade and industry, while connecting industries with new business opportunities. Since joining the Korea International Trade Association in 1990, he has worked in various fields, including startup support, trade workforce development, and research on international trade and commerce. In 2022, he served as President of the International Trade and Commerce Research Institute, where he analyzed the rapidly changing global economy and trade environment and proposed strategies for domestic industries and companies to respond. He has served as President and CEO of COEX since 2025.
The industry regards the newly appointed Chairman Cho as a “hands-on leader” who combines strong drive with strategic insight. This is because, during his tenure at KOTRA, he demonstrated outstanding results as a leader deeply rooted in the field—such as successfully establishing overseas support programs for startups and proactively responding to global trade issues. In particular, he is expected to be the ideal candidate to elevate the competitiveness of the domestic exhibition industry through his long-established trade and industrial networks and his experience managing COEX.
In his inaugural address, Chairman Cho stated, “I will prioritize responding to changes in exhibition industry infrastructure, promoting balanced regional development of the exhibition industry, advancing AI and digital transformation, and supporting member companies.” He added, “I will actively communicate with member companies and strengthen cooperation with the government and relevant agencies to ensure that the voices from the field are faithfully reflected in policy.”
The Korea Exhibition Industry Promotion Association is the leading organization in the exhibition industry, established in 2002 to foster the exhibition industry and contribute to the development of the national economy. Major stakeholders in the exhibition industry—including exhibition organizers, exhibition venues, exhibition design and service providers, and trade promotion agencies—participate as member companies. The association carries out various projects to strengthen the competitiveness of the exhibition industry, such as supporting the hosting of domestic exhibitions, building the industry’s infrastructure, training professionals, promoting international cooperation, and certifying exhibitions.