Chungnam Province Opens US Office in LA... "We Will Continue the 'Second American Dream'"

Governor Kim Taeheum:
"We Will Promote Korea-US Cooperation
Across Various Fields"

Chungnam Province announced that it held an opening ceremony for the Chungnam Province US Office at the Conrad Los Angeles Hotel in the United States on the 14th (local time).

At the opening ceremony, Governor Kim Tae-heum, Evan Reed, California State Advisor for International Affairs, Doan Liu, Chief Tourism Officer of Los Angeles, Fred Jung, Mayor of Fullerton, Joyce Ahn, Mayor of Buena Park, Kim Youngwan, Consul General of the Republic of Korea in Los Angeles, Lee Eunju, Council Member of Laguna Woods, Paul Choi, President of the Chungcheong Hometown Association, William Pauleus, Executive Director of the World Trade Center, Korean-American entrepreneurs, and about 200 others attended.

The province dispatched Officer Choi Won as the head of the office and hired one local Korean staff member.

The US office is responsible for supporting export contracts through matching consultations between overseas buyers and companies, providing market trends, and assisting in the identification of genuine buyers.

It will also promote attracting foreign tourists, international exchange and cooperation, and the activation of public diplomacy.

Governor Kim stated, "Today is a joyful day, but at the same time, my heart is heavy," adding, "I would like to express my deepest condolences to the citizens of Los Angeles who are suffering and have been affected by the worst wildfire in LA's history."

He continued, "We are opening the Chungnam US Office to commemorate 'Korean American Day' on January 13," and added, "122 years ago, our ancestors set foot in Hawaii for the first time, and now, through this US office, Chungnam will continue the 'second American Dream.'"

Governor Kim emphasized, "California is known as one of the world's four major economic powers and the number one manufacturing city in the United States," and added, "Chungnam is also ranked first in the nation for trade surplus, leading in advanced industries such as semiconductors, displays, and automobiles, and is the best region for attracting investment."

He continued, "Through the US office, Chungnam will expand investment and entry of companies from both countries, and activate Korea-US cooperation in various fields such as culture, tourism, and environment," adding, "We will make the US office a solid communication channel so that the relationship between Korea and the US, our closest ally, can be further strengthened."

Meanwhile, the province currently has six overseas offices in the US, Tokyo (Japan), Frankfurt (Germany), New Delhi (India), Jakarta (Indonesia), and Hanoi (Vietnam), and is also working to open an office in China.

Last year, the five overseas offices achieved an export volume of 7.41 million dollars, more than seven times the 1.01 million dollars recorded in 2023.

This year, the province plans to focus on supporting export projects for 5,000 small and medium-sized enterprises to boost exports.