With the launch of “Korea on the Move” campaign in the city, South Korea plans big in Karnataka.
The week-long campaign (July 4-10) comprises events “Korea Karnataka Economic Cooperation Forum”, Korea cultural performances, Korea Fair in Bengaluru, and meeting state ministers including chief minister, and industrialists.
Bengaluru, NFAPost: The Embassy of the Republic of Korea has chosen India’s silicon valley Bengaluru as the first city in the country to launch its ambitious “Korea on the Move” campaign to strengthen economic and cultural ties with Karnataka as well as India.
As part of this week-long campaign (July 4-10), a high-level Korean delegation led by South Korea Ambassdor Chang Jae-bok has been in Bengaluru since July 4.
Since then not only has the Ambassador met several ministers and top government functionaries including the Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraja Bommai, Large and Medium Scale Industry Minister Murugesh R Nirani, and Minister for Higher education and IT&BT, Science & Technology Dr. Ashwath Narayan, the Embassy also organised “Korea-Karnataka Economic Cooperation Forum” and the “Korea Fair in Bengaluru 2022,” in cooperation with the State Government of Karnataka and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) as “Korea on the Move” mission.
It is interesting to note that the event is resuming this year after the two-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 global pandemic.
According to Ambassador Chang Jae-bok, Korean companies have also taken advantage of huge opportunities that lie in Bengaluru and the state of Karnataka. Starting with Samsung Electronics R&D in 1996, he observed that Kroea followed by many big companies, small-medium enterprises and promising startups have been advancing and investing in the state.
“Considering the significance of the state, the Embassy of the Republic of Korea has chosen Bengaluru as the first venue for an economic and cultural event called ‘Korea On the Move’, as a prelude to the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Korea and India,” said south Korea Ambassador Chang Jae-bok.
With South Korea and India celebrating 50 years of diplomatic relations in 2023, Bengaluru has carefully been selected as the first venue of the “Korea on the Move” event, considering its importance to bilateral ties and economic cooperation between the two countries.
Throughout this week, many events including Korea-Karnataka Economic Cooperation Forum, Korean Cultural Performances and Korea Fair 2022 are being held in Bengaluru to better understand each other and further promote mutually beneficial cooperation between our two countries.
Next year 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between our two countries. Over the last 50 years, the two countries have come a long way for development. Ambassador Chang Jae-bok also formally opened Korea Fair (July 6-10) in Bengaluru 2022 at Orion Mall on July 6.
The state of Karnataka is one of the most advanced states in India in terms of IT, aerospace, defence industry, automobile, etc. Korean companies, from large companies to SMEs and start-ups, have advanced and invested in the state, especially in the R&D field, since 1996, when Samsung established Samsung R&D Institute in Bengaluru.
The high-level Korean delegation, comprises the Korean companies, Korean public organizations, and cultural performance teams from the Korean Cultural Center led by Ambassador Chang Jae-bok, is visiting Bengaluru for the “Korea on the Move.”
The Korean Business delegation consists of representatives from Samsung, LG, Hyundai, Kia, and dozens of Korean SMEs and startups. KOTRA (Korea Trade and Investment Promotion Agency), IKST (Indo-Korea Science and Technology Center), and Korea-India Software Cooperation Center from the public sector are also part of the visiting delegation.
At the Korea-Karnataka Economic Cooperation Forum on July 6, Ambassador Chang Jae-bok stressed how bilateral relations have grown from strength to strength over the past 50 years and emphasized that a bright and promising future beckons the two countries as Korea can be the best partner for India in line with its ‘Make in India’ policy.
At the Korea-Karnataka Economic Cooperation Forum, the Karnataka State Government introduced its policies for promoting industries and attracting investments, and KOTRA presented ways to strengthen the bilateral economic exchanges through CEPA.
Korea Fair in Bengaluru 2022, is an event showcasing Korean products such as cosmetics, food, and daily use products, providing an excellent opportunity to experience Korean culture and lifestyle. Around 60 products are being displayed to the Bengaluru people from 6 – 10 July 2022 at the Orion Mall and the Amazon India Korean store (www.amazon.in/koreanstore).
To cement people-to-people contact and cultural ties, the performance team of the Korean Cultural Center staged breath-taking performances of Samulnori (Korean traditional percussion quartet), K-pop, and Taekwondo demonstrations, which received great applause from the audience. This was a great opportunity for the people of Bengaluru to experience Korean traditional and modern culture.
Through this “Korea on the Move” event, the Korean delegation has learned more about Karnataka, mutually beneficial business opportunities in diverse sectors, government policies and programs, and the state’s investment climate. The Embassy will continuously make all possible efforts to further expand the cooperation and exchanges with the state to realise its full potential.
