BUSINESS REPS HOLD TALKS ON IMPROVING CROATIA-KOREA TRADE

( Editorial: --> 9007 ) ZAGREB, April 23 (Hina) - The head of Zagreb's Korean Trade Centre (KTC) on Thursday said Croatia could break into the South Korean market but needed to improve its marketing efforts. Sank-Kwang Lee was speaking at a meeting between representatives of 12 South Korean and 80 Croatian firms. The talks were organised by the centre and held at the Zagreb Fair. Total Croatia-South Korea trade last year amounted to $67 million of which $65 million were exports from the Asian country, Sank- Kwang Lee said. Most South Korean exports to Croatia were cars and electronic goods. The KTC director emphasised that Croatia had the potential for a strong penetration into the South Korean market but cooperation with Croatian firms had been difficult, mainly because they were unable to guarantee a large quantity of products and place them on the market within the set period. Obstacles for a stronger breakthrough of Croatian products into South Korea were also due to the marketing weakness of the Croatian economy, Sank-Kwang said. He said Korean entrepreneurs wanted to import Croatian wood products, cigarette paper and wine, which are not well-known in South Korea. The Korean Trade Centre was established by the Republic of Korea's Embassy in Zagreb at the end of 1996 to promote trade, investment and links between Croatian and Korean firms. (Hina) jn mb /ha 231816 MET apr 98