Cheongju:North Chungcheong Province announced plans to host its annual cosmetics and beauty expo in Cheongju, aiming to assist South Korean companies in expanding the export of cosmetics and beauty products.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Cosmetics and Beauty Expo Osong Korea 2026 will take place from Thursday to Saturday in Osong, a district of Cheongju, located 83 kilometers south of Seoul. The event is designed to connect local companies with international buyers, as stated by the provincial government.
More than 250 companies are expected to participate in this business-to-business (B2B)-focused event, which is themed "K-Beauty Osong seeks growth along with global partners." This year's expo, noted as the largest edition to date, aims to provide local companies with opportunities to expand into overseas markets and allow visitors to experience K-beauty products, according to Jang Woo-sung, director general of the provincial government's bureau of biologics, food and drugs.
The expo, which has been held annually in Cheongju since 2013, except for in 2014, is organized in partnership with the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA). This collaboration has invited 200 domestic and international buyers, including representatives from Japanese retailer Ito-Yokado and Marui Group. Organizers anticipate facilitating over 1,200 one-on-one business meetings intended to generate potential deals.
The number of prominent overseas buyers is projected to increase to 26 this year from six last year, more than quadrupling, amid the growing global demand for K-beauty products, as per the provincial government's expectations.
Two seminars are scheduled during the expo, one organized by the French-Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI) focusing on strategies for entering European markets, and another on next-generation cosmetics technologies.