PaulBubnyis editor of RealEstate New York and part of a three-person team nowcovering the Philadelphia market

PHILADELPHIA-A Korean trade delegation was at the Union LeagueHotel here Monday, interacting with Pennsylvania manufacturers inan event hosted by the state Department of Community and EconomicDevelopment. The daylong event, which included "match-making"meetings between foreign buyers and local manufacturers along witha keynote speech from Wan Hee Kim, chairman of the Korean ImportersAssociation, was the latest in a series of DCED efforts under theumbrella of Gov. Ed Rendell's World Trade PA initiative.

"We periodically host what we call 'inbound-buyer' missions," aDCED spokesperson tells GlobeSt.com. "They're always welcome. Asyou would imagine, having representatives come to us savesthousands of dollars, tons of manpower and takes a fraction of thetime compared to an overseas visit. This is a first, though, forthe KIA. Our representative's office in Seoul laid the groundworkand worked out logistics."