Jim Rogers: "If the North-South border opens, I will invite BLACKPINK to throw a party"

Jim Rogers Meets Kim Young-ho, Minister of Unification
Kim Young-ho: "We Will Strive to Alleviate Overseas Investors' Concerns"

"If the (North-South) border opens, I will immediately prepare beer and invite BLACKPINK to hold a big party."

Jim Rogers, chairman of Rogers Holdings and a world-renowned investor, met with Kim Young-ho, Minister of Unification, at the Seoul Government Complex in Gwanghwamun on the 11th and said, "I want to say that someday unification will be achieved on the Korean Peninsula." He also added, "I will invite a band from the North as well."

Chairman Jim Rogers and Minister of Unification Kim Young-ho
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Chairman Rogers said that day, "It seems that some people are afraid when talking about unification in Korea," and added, "If we can first open the border, eliminate the armistice line and the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone), and open it up, wouldn't the Korean people solve the problems on their own afterward?"

He continued, "Sometimes if people come from Mars and hear that people who share the same language, history, chopsticks, and eat the same food are different countries, they might say it's crazy," and added, "I hope Minister Kim can save the Korean Peninsula."

In response, Minister Kim said, "I understand that overseas investors are quite concerned as North Korea has violated the September 19 inter-Korean military agreement and is raising tension levels," and added, "The government is fully prepared for the possibility of North Korean provocations and is making great efforts to ensure that overseas investors do not worry."

Regarding Chairman Rogers' 'party proposal,' Minister Kim replied, "The Yoon Seok-yeol administration is also doing its best to create conditions for inter-Korean exchange and cooperation." Then Chairman Rogers said, "If you can do that, you can save Korea, Asia, and the world. You should do it."

Known as a genius of investment and ranked among the world's top three investors alongside Warren Buffett and George Soros, Chairman Rogers is known as an investor who highly evaluates the economic growth potential of the Korean Peninsula if inter-Korean exchange and cooperation are activated and unification occurs.

In a 2015 interview with CNN, he attracted attention by saying, "I want to invest all my assets in North Korea." He also expressed views in 2019 and 2020 that "the Korean Peninsula will lead economic revival by combining North Korea's resources and labor with South Korea's capital and manufacturing," and "if the armistice line disappears and railways are connected, the Korean Peninsula will become an interesting place."

During the meeting with Minister Kim that day, Chairman Rogers also drew attention by pronouncing words like 'Hanbando' (Korean Peninsula) in Korean.