KOTRA 2025: Korea's Global Business Platform
Since its establishment in 1962, the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) has spent more than 60 years leading Korea's export promotion and foreign investment attraction efforts as a government-affiliated trade and investment promotion agency. As of 2025, it operates 127 overseas offices (Korea Business Centers, or KBCs) across 86 countries and provides more than 300,000 export support services annually.
KOTRA's mission is "National economic development through trade and investment." It carries out four core programs: overseas market development for SMEs and mid-sized companies, support for entry into emerging markets, attraction of foreign direct investment (FDI), and the creation of global employment opportunities. In Bangladesh, the Dhaka office serves as core infrastructure for Korea-Bangladesh economic cooperation.
Global Network: 127 Overseas Offices in 86 Countries
KOTRA's greatest asset is its worldwide overseas office network. Each office is staffed by local experts and Korean personnel and provides services such as market research, buyer discovery, export consultations, and investment attraction support. The regional distribution of the network is as follows.
| Region | Number of Countries | Number of Offices | Key Hubs | Core Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asia and Oceania | 22 countries | 42 offices | Tokyo, Shanghai, Hanoi, Dhaka | Manage the largest trade region |
| Europe | 25 countries | 30 offices | Frankfurt, Paris, London | Support entry into advanced markets |
| North America | 2 countries | 15 offices | New York, LA, Chicago | Serve the largest single market |
| Latin America | 12 countries | 14 offices | Sao Paulo, Mexico City | Develop emerging markets |
| Middle East and Africa | 15 countries | 16 offices | Dubai, Cairo, Nairobi | Target blue-ocean markets |
| CIS | 10 countries | 10 offices | Moscow, Tashkent | Resource cooperation and market development |
Four Core Programs and Services
KOTRA's activities are broadly organized around four pillars: export support, investment attraction, global jobs, and trade cooperation. In each program area, it runs a variety of practical programs that SMEs and mid-sized firms can use directly.
Budget and Performance (2025)
KOTRA's total budget for 2025 is approximately KRW 1.2 trillion, with the largest share allocated to export support. Its return on investment exceeds 1:40, showing high efficiency in which one unit of budget spending generates more than forty units of export performance.
| Program Area | Budget Share | Key KPI | 2024 Performance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Export support | 45% | Export contracts | $5B+ |
| Investment attraction | 20% | FDI attracted | $20B+ |
| Global jobs | 10% | Overseas job placements | 5,000+ people |
| Trade cooperation | 10% | Trade dispute support | 300+ cases |
| DX innovation | 8% | AI service usage | 100K+ cases |
| Operations and management | 7% | Organizational efficiency | 127 offices operated |
KOTRA Dhaka Office: Bangladesh Hub
The KOTRA Dhaka office is Bangladesh's only Korean trade and investment promotion hub and operates at the front line of Korea-Bangladesh economic cooperation. Located in the Gulshan area of Dhaka, it is staffed by Korean assignees and local personnel and provides services including export support, buyer discovery, market research, and investment promotion.