North Korean city to host 1st int`l product exhibition

North Korea is known to be planning to hold its first international product exhibition in its special economic zone of Rason City, said the U.S.-based Radio Free Asia Saturday.

Sponsored by the Rason People’s Council, the North’s Rason Economy Cooperation Company will hold the first Rason International Goods Exhibition Aug. 22-25, the report said. The event is apparently intended to encourage foreign investment in Rason.

To be held at Rason Exhibition House, the exhibition will showcase machinery, electronics and light industry products and be held every year according to North Korea’s booklet introducing the event. The Rason company’s agencies in China and Singapore will receive applications through July 15.

Radio Free Asia quoted Paul Tija, head of GPI Consultancy, a Netherlands-based investment advisory firm, as saying European companies have yet to show interest in investing in Rason and investment will come mostly from Chinese companies.

GPI has been attending the Pyongyang International Products Exhibition, which is held each spring and fall.