CEO Im Yun-hee leads the charge in building global networks for overseas market growth
Grace International, a global sales agency that assists domestic companies in expanding overseas, has recently embarked on an initiative for global business expansion under the leadership of CEO Im Yun-hee. With her experience as the Vice President at Hancom Inspace, where she oversaw international exports and marketing, she has begun to build a new global network and take on fresh challenges.
CEO Im majored in English education at a prestigious university in South Korea. Starting her career with lectures at KBS and EBS, she became a prominent English instructor, teaching a wide range of students from elementary to university levels, as well as corporate professionals.
With her sights set beyond English education, she turned her attention to the global market. Through managing various international events, she had numerous opportunities to meet foreign diplomats and business leaders, naturally forming overseas networks. "While meeting foreign diplomats and business leaders visiting Korea, they often proposed collaboration to me first. This experience gave me the confidence that I could serve as a bridge connecting the global market and Korean companies," she remarked.
During her tenure at Hancom Inspace, Im gained valuable experience in international business. She recognized that many domestic companies with excellent technologies faced challenges entering overseas markets. Hancom Inspace specializes in AI-based satellite ground station solutions and aerospace technology, and during her time there, she led initiatives for overseas market development and marketing, fostering collaboration with the global market. This experience motivated her to establish an independent global sales agency to support domestic companies in various industrial sectors.
Currently, Grace International, under CEO Im's leadership, has a network that includes embassies, commercial offices, military attachés, and businesspeople from 33 countries worldwide. Through this network, they assist South Korean SMEs in entering overseas markets more securely.
She expressed, "Recently, I have met with representatives from SMEs in various industries such as environment, energy, electric vehicles (EV), and advanced AI-based manufacturing, and I have confirmed their strong determination to expand overseas." She noted, "It was particularly impressive to see high interest in Korean companies not only from developed countries but also from developing nations. I aim to utilize this network to understand the market needs of each country and serve as an economic diplomacy platform connecting outstanding domestic companies."
To further expand her global network, CEO Im plans to strengthen communications with foreign officials and business stakeholders and analyze the products of interest and potential collaborations specific to each country.
While large corporations have their own overseas sales channels, the reality is that many SMEs, despite having excellent technological capabilities, lack the resources to effectively promote themselves abroad. In response, she stated, "For SMEs to compete in the global market, a more strategic approach is necessary," emphasizing, "Grace International will strive to be a platform that supports the overseas expansion of Korean companies as a private diplomatic envoy."
CEO Im's vision is not merely to serve as a trade intermediary. She aims to showcase the innovative technologies of domestic companies to the world, provide strategic advice on economics and law, and simultaneously create new opportunities through global partnerships. Stakeholders are keenly observing whether Im's initiatives will mark a new turning point for the global market expansion of Korean companies.