'Korea-Brazil Business Forum' Held... Korean Companies Explore Investment and Expansion in Brazil

Held for the 9th Year... Brazilian Government Officials Directly Introduce Brazil's Current Situation
Conducted in a Hybrid Format Combining In-Person and Online Participation

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Korea-Brazil Society (KOBRAS), and the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (KIEP) announced on the 21st that they will hold the "9th Korea-Brazil Business Forum" at the Walkerhill Hotel. Now in its ninth year, the "Korea-Brazil Business Forum," launched in 2012, is a public-private 1.5-track consultation platform aimed at enhancing mutual understanding and cooperation between the two countries. It is an annual event for exchange and information sharing between the Korean and Brazilian business communities.

This forum will include participation from Brazil's Federal Ministry of Infrastructure and the S?o Paulo Investment Agency. Following the opening remarks by Choi Won KOBRAS Chairman, there will be welcoming speeches by Hwang Kyung-tae, Director General of the Latin America and Caribbean Bureau at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Cho Chung-je, Director of the World Regional Studies Center at KIEP, as well as congratulatory addresses by Kim Chan-woo, Ambassador to Brazil, and Luis Lopes, Ambassador of Brazil to Korea.

At this Korea-Brazil Business Forum, Brazilian government officials will directly introduce the current state of Brazil's economy and infrastructure projects to Korean companies.

Tarc?sio Freitas, Minister of Brazil's Federal Ministry of Infrastructure, will deliver a keynote speech introducing infrastructure projects such as airports, ports, railways, and privatization initiatives. Elder Gonzales, Director of External Relations at the Ministry of Infrastructure, will provide detailed explanations on opportunities and entry strategies in Brazil's infrastructure sector.

Additionally, Viu Song Melu, Head of the S?o Paulo Investment Agency, will present on the risks and outlook of the Brazilian economy following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Subsequently, domestic and international experts from various fields will give presentations and hold Q&A sessions on topics including △Brazil's economic outlook △constraints and improvement directions for entering the Brazilian infrastructure market △Korea-Brazil cooperation in healthcare, and research, development, and innovation in the health sector.

Meanwhile, the forum was originally planned to be held with attendance from Brazilian government and business figures to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Korea-Brazil diplomatic relations last year and to mark the first year of a new 60-year era. However, due to the COVID-19 situation, the format was changed to a hybrid of in-person and virtual participation.