The Korea Environmental Industry and Technology Institute said Tuesday that it has started offering video conferencing services for local environmental technology firms to help them meet foreign buyers, without having to participate in overseas trade fairs.

The state-run agency, which supports small to medium-sized eco firms from R&D to exports, started the program during a trade fair in Vietnam last month.

In the Environment and Energy Tech Hanoi 2012, the country’s only international trade fair in the environmental field, the KEITI set up a booth on behalf of 24 Korean firms and a cyber trade lounge to facilitate virtual meetings between the firms and interested buyers.

The effort resulted in consultations for 21 billion won ($18.3 million) worth of trade deals, up 20 percent from the previous year.

“The program gives small-scale eco firms a chance to introduce their technologies and products to buyers participating in international trade fairs overseas, without spending time and money travelling abroad,” the KEITI said in a press statement.

It plans to offer the service in the upcoming Water Expo in Singapore in July and a French environmental fair later this year.

By Lee Sun-young  (milaya@heraldcorp.com)