[Settlement of Gyeonggi’s Visit to the U.S.] The visit of 6 days and 3 nights achieves results worth USD 119 million including 1 LOI and 3 foreign investment agreements

Visited the comfort women statue and attended the 63rd anniversary commemoration of Incheon Landing

◇ The Gyeonggi delegation with Governor Kim Moon-soo as the head returned in the early morning of September 30 after attracting investment results worth USD 119 million including 1 LOI and 3 foreign investment agreements. Governor Kim is looking around the research center after signing the MOU with Air Products located in San Diego, U.S. ⓒ Gyeonggi G-News

The Gyeonggi delegation with Governor Kim Moon-soo as the head returned in the early morning of September 30 after the U.S. investment attraction visit of 6 days and 3 nights that started on September 25.

The delegation attracted investment results worth USD 119 million including 1 LOI and 3 foreign investment agreements in Atlanta, LA and San Diego. This attraction of investment is expected to create new jobs for over 320 people.

On the first day, September 25, automobile part manufacturer A signed an LOI with the delegation. They are planning to supply state-of-the-art automobile parts to Hyundai-KIA Motors with large-scale investments in Gyeonggi Province, the outcome of which is anticipated. The delegation visited the Georgia plant of KIA Motors, and examined the investment attraction case of West Point, Georgia and the change in regional economy after the establishment of the plant.

The delegation visited the CNN headquarters on September 26 and looked around the lively site of the broadcasting industry recently changing around digital contents, and requested the executives to show more interest in the human rights of North Korea.

The delegation then visited Google’s video production facility, YouTube Space, and got the idea of building a state-of-the-art video facility in Gyeonggi Province to support professional producers who suffer from lack of equipment and costs. This evening, the delegation attended the 40th LA Korean Festival to encourage the sales promotion activities of Gyeonggi specialties.

◇ Governor Kim is having a luncheon and meeting with Korean businesspeople in the Oxford Palace Hotel, LA. ⓒ Gyeonggi G-News

On September 27, a joint venture agreement was signed between KCC Transport Systems and KITE. The establishment of a new plant in the Hyeongok Industrial Complex in Gyeonggi is expected to enable domestic production and warranty service of air cargo containers, which will significantly reduce aviation logistics, repair costs and time.

In the afternoon, Air Products agreed to increase investment in Neung-dong, Hwaseong, which is expected to contribute greatly to the growth of the country’s key industry of semiconductors by supplying essential materials for production of high value-added 10-nano NAND flash semiconductors.

Prior to this agreement, the delegation had visited the comfort women statue in Glendale near LA and placed a floral tribute. The delegation presented appreciation plaques from 12.5 million Gyeonggi residents to those who helped build the statue, including four Glendale council members, who are Ara Najarian, Laura Freedman, Frank Quintero and Zareh Sinanyan, as well as Glendale planning committee chairman Lee Chang-yeop and community service coordinator Dan Bell.

“Truth is truth no matter what they say,” said Frank Quintero, holding the plaque made of Gyeonggi ceramics with the phrase ‘Thank you for holding the hand of truth.’ “I hope you give some good ideas on attracting many young people including Korean-American students to visit here. Let’s keep this statue clean and work hard to maintain this as a field of live history.”

◇ Governor Kim is visiting and placing a floral tribute to the comfort women statue at Central Park in front of Glendale Public Library located in Glendale near LA. ⓒ Gyeonggi G-News

Governor Kim Moon-soo introduced The Diary of a Comfort Facility Keeper of the Japanese Army discovered last summer and demanded deep reflection and sincere apology from the Japanese government. “This is a diary written by the keeper of the comfort facility in Myanmar for three years,” Governor Kim said. “With such clear evidence, Japan can no longer deny the crimes they committed on Korean women.”

After the investment attraction program was over for the day, the delegation attended the promotional event at H Mart of San Diego to increase exports of agricultural specialties of Gyeonggi.

At the meeting and luncheon on September 28 to which Korean scientists in San Diego were invited, Governor Kim introduced the KNR-NanoFacture case to local scientists prepared to start up businesses in Korea. “We will find ways for excellent talents overseas to display their abilities and contribute to the development of Korea,” he said.

The delegation then went to the 63rd anniversary commemoration of Incheon Landing held in Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. “We came here to express our gratitude for the veterans of the Korean War who visited Gyeonggi Province back in July,” said Governor Kim in his message of gratitude. “The solid Korea-U.S. alliance has been a great support in building liberal democracy in Korea and achieving the miracle of the Hangang River. I hope the friendship between the two countries deepens further to protect the value of liberal democracy and world peace.”

◇ Governor Kim is giving a congratulatory message at the 63rd anniversary commemoration of Incheon Landing held in San Diego Camp Pendleton. ⓒ Gyeonggi G-News

The delegation went over to LA and confirmed the progress of the project between KNR System and NanoFacture that had signed a joint venture agreement in Seattle back in April. At that time, they signed an agreement to extend production plant facilities. At the time both companies had signed an MOU for DNA restoration system development and product commercialization.

“As people found out Gyeonggi Governor and Washington Governor attended the MOU agreement ceremony, customer reliability increased and there is an increasing number of inquiries for purchase from public institutions and DNA bio-related companies in the U.S., as well as worldwide,” said Kim Myeong-hwan, CEO of KNR. “We are under negotiations to develop trial manufactured goods for mass production with the U.S. army criminal investigation command, and we had to shift back the plan to extend plant facilities in order to produce products at the right time,” he added.

“When I first met KNR System and NanoFacture, I knew they would succeed as powerful companies despite the small size,” said Governor Kim. “I’m glad to see how their businesses were so successful that they are about to build a new plant in Gyeonggi Province. We will provide as much administrative support as possible for them to create new good jobs and achieve the sales of KRW100 billion in 5 years.”

“I hope our young generation will not forget the identity as a Korean citizen even in a foreign land,” said Governor Kim regarding this activity of attracting investment and expressed his opinions that, “We will help Korean youth in Korea as well as those scattered around the world to find their dream jobs. Gyeonggi government officials including myself will strive to create new growth engines that will support Korea in the future.”

◇ Governor Kim is visiting the promotional event at H Mart of San Diego displaying agricultural products of Gyeonggi to encourage the employees and is introducing the excellent agricultural specialties of Gyeonggi to local residents. ⓒ Gyeonggi G-News

“Gyeonggi delegation has gone through a heavy schedule for the past 6 days and 3 nights, crossing over America from east to west,” said Hwang Seong-tae, head of the Economy & Investment Office. “The delegation signed MOU with various companies and discussed plans for talent development hidden in Korea and overseas, academic-industrial collaboration and start-up assistance by meeting with local scientists and entrepreneurs. It was a meaningful occasion to seek ways to enhance vigor in our economy.”

To the question of the local press regarding the visit to the Glendale comfort women statue, Governor Kim answered, “I am the first Korean public figure to visit Glendale, the city of peace, since the unveiling in July. We shared a bond with the residents in that we must fix the past errors of history to proceed to the future and that we must make efforts to let the young generation know of the historical truth.”

He also added, “On the last day we attended the 63rd anniversary commemoration of Incheon Landing in San Diego Camp Pendleton. I was touched by an 87-year-old war veteran tearfully saying, ‘I love Korea.’ Much yet remains to be done to turn the liberal democracy of Korea, which had been protected by the devotion of the war veterans, into a strong unified nation.”

ⓒGyeonggi G-News | Chun Kyeong-nam ckn0403@kg21.net

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