Seattle Korea▶ Meeting between Chairman Oh Myung-kyu and Secretary General Peter… Discussed three key agenda items including mutual support for expos and facility sharing
▶ WABA Korea Expo & Festival marks its 6th year… Pursuing cross-support with the KWA Community Expo
▶ Shared consensus on strengthening economic cooperation across the Puget Sound region, embracing both Korean and non-Korean small businesses
n Daily
The Washington State Korean American Chamber of Commerce (KACCWA, Chairman Oh Myung-kyu) recently visited the Korean Women’s Association (KWA) and held a working meeting with Secretary General (CEO) Peter Ansara, where they discussed three key areas of cooperation. Representing the Korean American community in the Puget Sound region, the two organizations are moving to establish a collaborative framework focused on mutual support, facility sharing, and regional economic development ahead of their respective major events in 2026.
◈ Agreement to Open KWA Facilities for Chamber Activities
The first agenda item focused on strengthening mutual cooperation and solidarity between the two organizations. Chairman Oh Myung-kyu emphasized the need for close joint efforts to revitalize the local economy. In response, Secretary General Peter Ansara expressed his agreement and stated that KWA would actively open its facilities to support various activities of the Chamber of Commerce. Both sides agreed to develop more concrete cooperation plans moving forward.
◈ Cross-Support Between WABA Korea Expo and KWA Expo
The second agenda item addressed KWA’s support and sponsorship for the “2026 WABA Korea Expo & Festival,” hosted by the Chamber. The WABA Korea Expo—meaning “Come and See”—is a representative Korean American economic event that introduces Korean small and medium-sized business products and culture to the local community.
Launched in 2021 at Pier 62 on the Seattle waterfront, the expo marked its 5th anniversary in 2025 at Snoqualmie Casino & Resort, growing into a large-scale event embraced by both Korean American and diverse business communities. This year, the 6th expo will return to Pier 62 and will be held over three days—August 14, 15, and 16—expecting more than 10,000 visitors per day.
After Chairman Oh introduced this year’s event and requested cooperation and sponsorship, Secretary General Ansara responded that KWA would review the proposal internally and actively explore ways to provide support.
As the third agenda item, Secretary General Peter Ansara introduced the “2026 KWA Community Expo,” hosted by the Korean Women’s Association, and requested the participation of the Chamber of Commerce. The KWA Community Expo is the largest Korean American information fair in Washington State. Last year, it was held at Clover Park Technical College in Lakewood, featuring 100 booths and attracting more than 1,500 visitors. The event brings together state and county government agencies, nonprofit organizations, Korean American groups, and businesses to provide essential, everyday information in a one-stop setting. Chairman Oh Myung-kyu pledged active cooperation to encourage a wide range of businesses, through the Chamber, to participate in the KWA Expo.
◈ Expanding Regional Economic Cooperation to Include Both Korean and Non-Korean Small Businesses
In this meeting, the two organizations agreed not to limit their cooperation solely to the Korean American community. Both the Korean Women’s Association (KWA) and the Chamber of Commerce committed to strengthening collaboration to support small businesses and promote regional economic growth across the broader Puget Sound area, including both Korean and non-Korean communities.
The Chamber of Commerce recently launched its 36th executive leadership team earlier this year under Chairman Oh Myung-kyu and Board Chair Eun Ji-yeon. Meanwhile, the Korean Women’s Association (KWA), founded in 1972, is the largest Korean American nonprofit service organization in the Pacific Northwest, with a 53-year history and offices in more than 11 counties across Western Washington.
Attention is now focused on whether the partnership between these two organizations will further strengthen the Korean American economic ecosystem in the Puget Sound region.
Seattle Korean Daily (seattlekdaily@gmail.com)
