Permanent Secretary of the Office of the Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs, Mr Yogesh Karan, met with the President and Head of Corporate Relations of Samsung Electronics, Mr In Yong Rhee who was accompanied by the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Fiji, His Excellency, Young-kyu Park yesterday (24/08/22).
PS Karan welcomed Mr Rhee to Fiji, where he will attend the Fiji-Korea Business Forum held in Suva. The Forum is co-hosted by the Embassy of the Republic of Korea and the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Tourism and Transport.
PS Karan thanked Mr Rhee for visiting Fiji to pursue potential business prospects and investment initiatives. He briefed Mr Rhee and his delegation on the Fijian Government’s commitment to build resilient and sustainable economy through the global challenges of COVID-19 pandemic and climate change.
PS Karan also conveyed the Fijian Government’s appreciation to the Republic of Korea for supporting Fiji through KOICA programmes and partnership in socio-economic development.
He said Fiji is grateful to host the 2022 Fiji-Korea Business Forum which is expected to maximise business opportunities and elevate Fiji and Korea’s relations.
The opportunity for co-operation through the newly launched 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent particularly under the Thematic Area of Technology and Connectivity, was also highlighted.
PS Karan welcomed the opportunity, stating that it would complement the Fijian Government’s initiatives in areas of education, promoting technology and connectivity in rural and maritime communities, business and investment, amongst others.
In response, Mr Rhee thanked PS Karan for the opportunity to meet in person and discuss future areas of cooperation.
He said Samsung looks forward to working closely with the Fijian Government in areas of Technology and Connectivity, targeted at youths in Fiji.
He highlighted Samsung’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Project “Solve for Tomorrow” and Samsung’s commitment to roll out the project in Fiji.
This project is Samsung’s global contest which, would encourage students and young minds to use Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) and it would also empower women and youths to venture into Small Medium Enterprises (SME) entrepreneurship.
In Fiji, the program will target school students and support programs in digitalisation and technology advancement.
He also gave an update on Korea’s bid to host World Expo 2030 Busan. He said World Expo 2030 Busan will highlight the seriousness of climate change globally and the need for each country to take an active response, and it will also serve as a great opportunity for Fiji to experience Korea’s innovative technologies and methodologies to respond to climate change.
Ambassador of the Republic of Korea, His Excellency Young-kyu Park, commended the Fijian Government for its exemplary partnership with the Republic of Korea.
He said Korea has presented its candidature to organise World Expo 2030 in Busan with the theme “Transforming our World, Navigating toward a better Future” which is intended to address acute universal challenges of our time, such as climate change, serious risks to the sustainable use of ocean resources, public health crisis, digital divide and exacerbating disparities in wealth and development among and within nations.
