South Korean Ambassador Kim Joong Keun exhorts Gujarat as auto hub.
Exhorting the state as an automobile hub, South Korean ambassador Kim Joong Keun said that Gujarat had offered "favourable conditions" to Hyundai Motor Company. The Ambassador was on a three-day visit to Gujarat for enhancing bilateral trade.
"Gujarat is becoming an automobile hub. Given the situation of Hyundai's need for a third plant, I say why not be in Gujarat? Gujarat has offered favourable conditions to Hyundai. I don't know about Hyundai's decision however," said Kim Joong Keun.
During his visit, the South Korean ambassador met Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and several industrialists to discuss upon bilateral trade.
"I met the CM and expressed interest in partnering Gujarat in the sectors like auto, shipping, electronics and knowledge industries. Currently, there are only two South Korean companies and that too on contract basis. We believe there is a huge scope for other Korean companies to come to Gujarat," said Kim Joong Keun. Talking further about his meet with Modi, Kim Joong Keun said that the CM had shared the state's desire to build a 65 km bridge on the coastline of Gujarat. In 2010, the bilateral trade between South Korea and India stood at 17.1 billion of which India's exports stood at 33 per cent.
Talking about South Korea's presence in India, Kim Joong Keun said, "There are 400 Korean companies doing business in India in three major regions including Delhi NCR, Chennai and Mumbai. Of these, around 150 companies are in Chennai itself."
Meanwhile, he also said that South Korea could consider Gujarat for innovation, technology transfers and tie ups especially for small and medium scale industries.