Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
MEDIA STATEMENT ON THE OFFICIAL VISIT TO THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA BY THE SOUTH AFRICAN MINISTER OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY, MR ALEC ERWIN: FROM 8-11 OCTOBER 1997
Minister Alec Erin will visit the Republic of Korea from the 8-11 October 1997, at the head of a delegation of senior officials from the Department of Trade and Industry and South African businesspeople.
During his visit, Minister Erwin will hold discussions with his Korean counterpart, Minister Lim Chang Yeul, which will focus on ways to strengthen the already significant trade ties which have grown fourfold since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1993. Total two-way trade reached R10.8bn in 1996, which makes Korea South Africa's twelfth largest trading partner. Korean investments to South Africa have also grown steadily and now total R282mil. It is important to note that all the major Korean business conglomerates have resident offices in South Africa. Two important Korean banks, the Korean Exchange Bank and the Export Import Bank of Korea, also opened representative offices in South Africa recently. Minister Erwin will also meet with the Korean Minister of Agriculture & Forestry, Mr Lee Hyo Gae, and a number of key Koran industrialists.
Minister Erwin will officially open the South African Food, Cultural and Tourism Festival at the Shilla Hotel in Seoul, on 9 October 1997. At the Festival, several South African wine exporters will introduce their estate wines to the Korean business and tourism industry. Leading South African seafood exporters will, for the first time, promote Western Cape seafood to food specialists, importers and distributors from the Korean seafood industry. South African exhibits will include leading processed foods, pure fruit juices and various beverage & beer brands. There will also be a display of South African cultural & handicraft items, including diamonds.
The Tourism exhibition, to feature tourism attractions in South Africa, will include promotions by South African Airways, Southern Sun Hotels as well as SATOUR. Southern Sun Chefs will prepare special menus of South African dishes for the Shilla western restaurants and give cooking demonstrations during the South African Food Festival, which is scheduled to end on 15 October 1997.
The Minister will also deliver a keynote address at an Investment Seminar to be held at the Shilla Hotel on 10 October 1997. The main focus of the Investment Seminar will be the Industry Workshops, at which presentations and discussions will be held on selected industries in South Africa which offer good opportunities for Korean Investments.
ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS ON BEHALF OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN EMBASSY IN SEOUL, REPUBLIC OF KOREA PRETORIA 01 OCTOBER 1997