The Overseas Koreans Agency (Director General Lee Sang-deok) announced on the 11th that the 23rd World Korean Business Convention (formerly known as the World Korean Businessman Convention) will be held in Atlanta next year. Following last year’s event in Anaheim, Orange County—the first to take place outside of Korea—the convention will return to the U.S. after two years.

The agency confirmed the convention details during its operations committee meeting, deciding that the event would take place from April 17–20, 2025, at the Gas South Convention Center in Duluth, Atlanta. The operations committee sets the programs, schedules, and other details for the convention.

According to the Federation of Korean-American Chambers of Commerce (FKACC), Atlanta was the sole city to submit an application to host the event, leading to its approval. Director General Lee urged Korean economic organizations overseas to collaborate for a successful execution of the convention.

The World Korean Business Convention is the largest gathering of overseas Korean businesspeople, drawing participants from around the globe. The 22nd convention, held in Jeonju this October, attracted more than 1,000 Korean entrepreneurs from 48 countries. In 2023, the 21st convention in Orange County saw participation from 7,000 business representatives across 31 countries.

Earlier discussions to host the 23rd convention in Qingdao, China, were abandoned due to a lack of financial support from the Chinese government. Following this, the agency received applications from several cities but ultimately selected Atlanta as the only formal applicant.

Atlanta had previously applied to host the 21st convention but lost to Orange County. The city’s preparations for a Korean-American business conference in April 2025 allowed a seamless transition into hosting the global convention.

Traditionally held in October, the convention’s schedule has been moved forward to April. The hosting venue, Gas South Convention Center, underwent inspections by representatives from the Atlanta Consulate General and other stakeholders.

Source: Joseph Park, Korea Times.