Bilans d’évènement
Prime Minister Han Duck-soo’s first address to foreign companies with FKCCI and KGCCI
- Prime Minister Han Duck-soo presented the new government’s international trade and investment policies
- More than 150 Representatives of French and German Business Communities participated
The French-Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI), and the Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KGCCI) co-hosted the special reception with Prime Minister Han Duk-soo on June 23, 2022 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Seoul, along with Minister of the Office for Government Policy Coordination Bang Moon-Kyu (OPC), Minister for Trade Ahn Dukgeun (MOTIE) and 2nd Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Lee Dohoon (MOFA). Prime Minister Han Duck-soo presented the new government’s international trade and investment policies.
In his keynote speech, Mr. Han Duk-soo emphasized: “The most important means for economic development is increased investment, and this the new government is targeting investment-oriented growth as its main policy goal. The government will actively support to improve the overall investment environment, including foreign investment”. The Prime Minister also promised to communicate directly and closely with foreign entrepreneurs about difficulties and hardships experienced in Korea.
The meeting started with opening remarks from KGCCI Chairperson Hyun-Nam Park and FKCCI Chairman David-Pierre Jalicon, and welcoming messages from German Ambassador to South Korea, H.E. Michael Reiffenstuel and French Ambassador to South Korea, H.E. Philippe Lefort, followed by the keynote speech of the Prime Minister. More than 150 representatives of French and German companies have participated the meeting.
During the opening remarks FKCCI Chairman David-Pierre Jalicon said, “We are much honored to co-organize the event with you Mr. Han Duk-Soo, Prime Minister of Korea, especially as it is the first time you address a business foreign community since your nomination. […] Today France is not only strong in fields such as luxury or food and beverage but is also an important part of the supply chain of the electronic or chemical industry for example, and a key partner for aerospace, airplane, defense, energy and health. […] But there are still issues that we are facing regarding market access, trade or simply doing business in Korea.”
Hyun-Nam Park the Chairperson of KGCCI added, “We express our gratitude to Prime Minister Han Duk-soo for his meaningful speech. Today is a great start for a fruitful collaboration between the Korean government and the German and French as well as the whole European business community. We look forward to a valuable and reliable partnership in the years to come.”
Afterwards, French and German companies ElringKlinger, Sanofi, Siemens, and S-OIL TotalEnergies exchanged in a podium discussion about the opportunities and challenges of doing business in Korea. Reasonable pricing as stipulated in the EU-Korea FTA and market access issues were addressed, such as in the bio sectors and R&D, where Korean investors are highly interested in global expansion and for whom pricing are fundamental aspects of attractiveness. Panelists also stressed that, beyond usual measures like subsidies to attract investors in Korea, companies would like to benefit from support in practical operational ways such as IT solutions to optimize digitalized supply chain and informational flows for SMEs.
H.E. Maria Castillo Fernandez, Ambassador of the Delegation of the EU to South Korea, finally remarked “The twin green and digital transition has become a key pillar of the post-pandemic recovery, for both the EU and Korea, but also a response to Russia’s war in Ukraine. In this respect, I wish to commend Korea’s generous gesture of re-selling 5 LNG shipments to Europe. […] We need to invest massively into renewables, as this is the best way to address, at the same time, climate change and economic sovereignty.”
- Warm thanks to G.H.Mumm for their precious support!
