Hak-kyu Sohn, provincial governor of Gyeonggi-do, visited two Japanese companies in the morning of July 25, during his visit in Japan. He visited the headquarters of company ‘H’ which manufactures world famous optical instrument and semiconductors and LCD parts, is considering making inroads into Korea’s LCD parts market and the other company, Sumitomo Corporation which is the investment company of Dongwoo STI that already has a large production facility in Gyeonggi-do and considering to expand its facilities.

During Sohn’s visit to company ‘H’, he premised that the potentiality and growth possibility of Korea’s industrial will develop without limitation due to large investments in the future by Samsung and LG Philips, both leaders in the worldwide TFT-LCD field. In addition, Sohn emphasized that as LG Philips moved into Paju Industrial Complex, Gyeonggi-do will develop into the world’s largest LCD parts supply facility. If ‘H’ establishes a LCD parts production facility in Gyeonggi-do, Sohn expressed his support to provide an active and epochal plan for the company just as the case of LG Philips. Regarding this, the president of ‘H’ expressed his acknowledgement of Gyeonggi-do as the center of the LCD industry and his expectation of the province.

At Sumitomo Corp., Sohn met Kanda Naoya, executive director of the information electronic chemical department, and presented future support plans and propulsion status of the expanding production sites in the Gyeonggi-do and requested for thorough consideration on expanding Dongwoo STI facilities. Kanda Naoya expressed his reassurance of expanding operations in the Gyeonggi-do area and hoped for sustaining assistance.

After the meeting with both companies, Sohn met Hujimura, advisor of the Korean Japanese Association and Hakkosima, president of Asahi Shinbun, and talked about economic problems between Korea, Japan and the northeast, and Gyeonggi-do’s standpoint in northeast’s present situation.