SK chairman stresses Korea-China harmony

SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won speaks during an international seminar hosted by his firm at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Seoul, Thursday, to mark the 20th anniversary of Korea-China diplomatic relations. (Photo : Courtesy of SK Group)

SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won has pledged to expand in China and contribute to improving ties between Korea and the world’s second largest economy.

“We should not forget how the Korea-China relationship was forged two decades ago and how it has improved to today’s level,” Chey said in a congratulatory speech during an international seminar hosted by the country’s third largest conglomerate to mark the 20th anniversary of Korea-China diplomatic relationship, in Seoul, Thursday. “Nothing would have been possible without the hard work and toil of the previous generation.”

China is Korea’s largest trading partner and through a free trade agreement (FTA), for which bilateral talks are underway the two countries are trying to deepen an economic reliance on each other.

The chairman underscored “harmony” between Seoul and Beijing, saying they “share the same fate on the same boat.”

Nearly 400 scholars, businessmen and bureaucrats from the two nations, including Korean Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan and 42 renowned professors from 14 Chinese universities, attended the seminar. They discussed and shared views on a wide range of issues such as the Korea-China FTA, energy cooperation, and the establishment of a legal framework for technology transfer among others.

SK Group was the first Korean company to tap into the Chinese market in 1991. Establishing the regional affiliate SK China, the group has run a variety of manufacturing and service businesses there, posting 28 billion Chinese yuan or 5 trillion won in sales last year, up 20 percent from the year before.

SK China is expanding into lucrative city-development and environment-related businesses.

Showing support for education the group runs a scholarship program for talented Chinese students. By sponsoring them to study and conduct research activities overseas, 455 Chinese scholars have benefited from the program since 2000, according to SK. <The Korea Times/Park Si-soo>

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