[Asia Economy Sejong=Reporter Son Seon-hee] As more than 40 key personnel from the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI), the largest regional multilateral development bank in Central America, visit Korea, the government has launched a campaign to promote and request support for the bid to host the '2030 Busan World Expo.'
According to the Ministry of Economy and Finance on the 4th, CABEI will hold the 'CABEI Korea Week' event from the 5th to the 11th in Busan, Ulsan, and Seoul to revitalize Korea-Central America economic cooperation. CABEI, established in 1960 as a multilateral development bank to invest in balanced development and economic integration in Central America, currently has 15 member countries including Korea. Korea joined as the 15th member country on December 15, 2019, and currently holds a permanent director position. For this event, more than 40 people including the CABEI president, vice president, and directors from 11 countries have come to Korea.
The CABEI Korea Week program consists of ▲promotion of the 2030 Busan World Expo bid ▲industrial facility tours ▲Korea-Central America networking dinner ▲Korea-Central America cooperation forum. The 2030 Busan World Expo Bid Committee, Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Korea-Latin America Association, public institutions, and companies cooperated in organizing the event.
During the event, the 2030 Busan World Expo Bid Committee and Busan Metropolitan City will promote the concept of the Busan World Expo through a briefing session and request active support from CABEI to secure the support of Central American countries for the Expo bid.
Additionally, industrial site tours in Busan and Ulsan will cover new industry sectors such as port logistics, hydrogen economy, railway infrastructure, and eco-friendly ships, along with investment briefings by public institutions and companies possessing leading technologies in each field.
On the 7th, at the Conrad Hotel in Yeouido, Seoul, the 'Korean Energy Public Enterprises Central America Entry Support Workshop' will be held, where overseas business managers from Korea Electric Power Corporation and five power generation companies will participate to share business plans and challenges with CABEI directors and project managers from their countries of interest.
On the 8th, a networking dinner hosted by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry will be held to resolve difficulties faced by Korean companies operating in Central America and facilitate information exchange between Korean companies and CABEI infrastructure investment officials. Approximately 80 executives and employees from about 70 companies active in the Central American region, including POSCO Engineering & Construction, Hyundai Engineering, and Hyundai Construction, are expected to attend.
On the 11th, the 'Korea-CABEI Cooperation Forum' will be held jointly with the Korea-Latin America Association. CABEI public and private development directors and Korean trust fund managers will explain ongoing projects and participation methods, and through an ICT session, cooperation plans between Korean and Latin American startup companies will also be discussed.
Furthermore, the Ministry of Economy and Finance reported that through signing memorandums of understanding (MOUs) between domestic institutions such as the Korea Infrastructure and Urban Development Corporation (KIND) and the Korea Environmental Industry & Technology Institute (KEITI) and CABEI, institutional measures will be expanded to support the entry of Korean companies and institutions into the Central American region.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
