Commerce Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury will inaugurate the exposition organised by the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the diplomatic ties between Bangladesh and South Korea.

"The show will help Bangladesh businesses to know about Korean products and services and technologies," said Taewon Hong, resident trade representative of Korea Trade Centre, Dhaka, at a press conference yesterday at Sonargaon Hotel.

Korea has been one of Bangladesh's most important investment and trading partners in the process of its industrialisation and socioeconomic development, he said and hope the exposition will further strengthen bilateral trade ties.

Hong said Korean investment in the manufacturing sector of Bangladesh is the highest, constituting almost 40 per cent of investment in all export processing zones. "The show will also encourage Koreans to invest more in Bangladesh," he said.

A total of 24 Korean companies and three local agents will exhibit various products including electronics, computer software, electrical appliances, auto parts, household appliances, dental materials, construction interior materials, photo and arts frame mouldings, handy mixer, dry cell battery, industrial boiler and consumer products.

The products on display will include kitchen wares, water purifier, gas cooker, bottling and canning plant, Internet and network solution, automobiles, generator, GSM mobile phone set, noodle making machine, mosquito trap and Ginseng products.

The show will remain open to visitors everyday till Thursday from 10am to 7pm.

South Korea exported products worth $350 million to Bangladesh in 2001-02 while Bangladesh exports to Korea amount to $ 18.86 million in the same year.