The Association of Korean Exhibition Industry (AKEI) is the organization in charge of the exhibition industry development project selected by the Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) in accordance with the nation’s Exhibition Industry Development Act.
Since its establishment in 2002 with the purpose of fostering Korea’s exhibition industry, and thereby contributing to the development of the national economy, AKEI has been implementing projects to promote the exhibition industry — while drafting the government’s exhibition industry policy, and carrying out various related tasks. In addition, as a representative organization of Korea’s exhibition industry, it identifies trends in the global exhibition industry, and supports international cooperation with Korea’s exhibition industry through exchanges and cooperation with overseas exhibition industry-related organizations and businesses — such as major international associations like UFI, AFECA, and IAEE in the global exhibition industry.
AKEI’s major projects include supporting the holding of domestic exhibitions; evaluation projects and exhibition-industry foundation-building projects — such as exhibition certification; statistical surveys; public relations; holding celebrations on the exhibition industry day. In addition, AKEI is conducting a pre-sales support project led by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) to promote collaboration with small business owners and exhibition professional training projects of the Ministry of Employment and Labor — and is carrying out various projects to develop Korea’s exhibition industry.
AKEI also provides member company services such as networking for shared growth and mutual prosperity in the exhibition industry. Members include 72 companies — including trade promotion organizations such as KOTRA; and the Korea International Trade Association (KITA); exhibition centers such as COEX and KINTEX; industry groups and private exhibition organizers; and exhibition design installation and service providers.

Certification Exhibitions

Among the various projects carried out by AKEI, the ‛Exhibition Certification System Operation Project’ refers to objectively researching and confirming data on exhibition areas, the number of participating companies, and the number of visitors submitted by exhibition organizers according to standardized standards, and granting a certification mark in order to officially certify.
It is operated for the purpose of securing reliable and objective data statistics on exhibition participants and visitors and contributing to the internationalization of Korean exhibitions.
As the proportion and importance of exhibitions in terms of corporate marketing gradually increased, the exhibition certification system began as one of the policy measures to enhance the performance of companies’ participation in exhibitions. For this reason, after a pilot certification period from 2002 to 2004, a formal certification system was introduced for exhibitions seeking certification, starting in 2005.
Certification regulations apply with the regulations of the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry (UFI). AKEI assesses the qualifications by classifying into certification or international certification depending on the contents of the certification, and whether the requirements are met or not. More than 130 exhibitions are certified annually, and major certified exhibitions include Seoul ADEX, COPHEX, and KES.

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