CM invites South Korea to set up industrial parks in Gujarat

Korea expresses interest in sectors like SMEs, automobiles and electronics

Ambassador of South Korea to India Joon-Gyu Lee on Wednesday paid a courtesy visit to Gujarat chief minister Anandiben Patel, who asked the envoy to set up Korean industrial parks in the state to generate employment for Gujarati youths.

“In view of Korea’s expertise in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) at world level, Patel made a deliberation with Lee to set up Korean industrial parks in Gujarat to generate employments for Gujarati youths,” a press communique issued by state information department said.

The two leaders also laid emphasis on developing further cooperation between South Korea and Gujarat in sectors like marine engineering and maritime human resources development.

Stating that Korea was a world leader in manufacturing automobile parts and Gujarat is emerging as an automobile hub, Patel said, “In such a scenario, collaboration of Korean industries with Gujarat would strengthen the possibilities of mutual industrial growth.”

Lee expressed willingness to extend Korean cooperation in the sectors like SMEs,  automobiles and electronics.

Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dream project of setting up 100 smart cities across India, Patel told the Korean envoy that in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dream project of 100 smart cities across the country, some cities of Gujarat are included, which could be developed on patterns of smart cities in Korea.

On request by Anandiben Patel to play a positive role in setting up ‘home toilets’ with people’s participation in the state by Korean industries as part of corporate social responsibility (CSR), Lee said that Korea would always be willing to make its CSR contributions after deliberations with concerned departments of the state government.

In response to Patel’s invitation to participate with a Korean delegation in the state’s mega business event, ‘Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors’ Summit-2015’ (VGGIS-2015), the envoy assured Patel that a high-level Korean delegation would participate in CEOs meet to be held at the event.

CM’s chief principal secretary K Kailashnathan, principal secretary (industry) Atanu Chakraborty, science and technology secretary Haider, Ajay Bhadu, secretary to chief minister, and other high-ranked officials of the Korean embassy participated in the meeting.