November 27, 2024

• 

Governor of South Gyeongsang Province Park Wan-soo (South Gyeongsang Province)

In the region's first attempt to initiate a global economic diplomacy, Governor of South Gyeongsang Province Park Wan-soo will make his first overseas business trip to Spain and France in a bid to support local companies' foray into the European markets and attract investments for Korea's aerospace industries, said Gyeongsang Province's investment agency on Wednesday.

The trip, which will start in Spain, will see the Korean delegation meet with the Ambassador of Spain to Korea to discuss industrial trends in Spain and attract support for the entry of Korean companies into the Spanish market.

During the trip, Park is further scheduled to make visits to the Port of Barcelona to observe Spain's logistics infrastructure. Business agreements and meetings with the Bilbao Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the governor of Basque are also planned to pave the way for South Gyeongsang Province's foray into Western Europe.

In France, Park will attend an export contract signing ceremony in a bid to show support for French companies' export marketing activities. He will also visit Station F, the world's largest startup campus, to gain insights into France's startup ecosystem.

Schedules to promote Korea's aerospace industries and space technology are also in the works.

By attending the Paris Air Show, the world's largest aerospace industry exhibition, Park will promote Gyeongsang Province's aviation industry base to seek investments for the region's aerospace industry.

Park will also explore ways to garner support for the Korea Aerospace Administration (KASA), a Korean governmental organization, during the Paris Air Show.

KASA's first facilities -- if approved -- are scheduled to be built in 2023 in the city of Sacheon in South Gyeongsang Province. Approval for the facility is currently awaiting passage at the National Assembly. If it passes through parliament, operations are expected to begin by December.

Park will visit the research institute at the National Center for Space Studies, France's national space agency, to observe the center's major space research facilities and discuss ways for South Gyeongsang Province to cooperate with the center for the development of space research and technology.

"By experiencing (international) aerospace industries that are ahead of ours, South Gyeongsang Province will develop the ability to lead the Korean aerospace industry," said Governor Park Wan-soo.

"We will continue to promote domestic and foreign activities such as attracting foreign investments, revitalizing the startup ecosystem and supporting domestic companies' entry into markets abroad to reinvigorate South Gyeongsang Province's economy."

By Lee Yoon-seo (yoonseo.3348@heraldcorp.com)