Minister Väyrynen to make an export promotion trip to South Korea and Japan
Press Release 336/2010
18 November, 2010
Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paavo Väyrynen will visit South Korea and Japan on 21-26 November to promote export and globalization. In addition to a delegation of officials, Minister Väyrynen will be accompanied by a business delegation of 20 persons representing the machine, construction, automotive and nuclear power industries, the information and communication technology industry, financing and logistics services, and tourism. The purpose of the visit is to promote the trade relations between Finland and South Korea and Finland and Japan, and encourage investments in Finland.
The first stop is in Seoul, and the group will continue to Tokyo on 24 November. The agenda includes meetings with ministers and authorities and business visits in both countries.
In Seoul, Minister Väyrynen will meet with Kim Jong-Hoon, Minister for Trade of South Korea. The Ministers will discuss, inter alia, the EU-South Korea Free Trade Agreement, enhancing of bilateral trade and economic relations, the status of the WTO negotiations round, and global development issues. Topics of discussion in Minister Väyrynen's meeting with the Director General of the Bank of Korea include the G20 summit hosted by South Korea and the global economic situation. Väyrynen will also attend to a round table meeting, organised by the South Korean industries association, to discuss Finnish-South Korean trade and economy.
In Tokyo, Minister Väyrynen has scheduled meetings with the Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Akihiro Ōhata and Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara. The agenda for the meeting with Minister Ōhata includes bilateral trade and economic relations, and economic questions between the EU and Japan and on the global scale. The agenda with Minister Maehara includes, in particular, global issues with regard to development and development policy, and regional integration in Southern Asia. Minister Väyrynen will also meet with the President and CEO of the Japan Bank of International Cooperation and representatives of Nippon Keidanren, the federation of economic organisations and employers in Japan. Väyrynen will also attend to a Finnish-Japanese business seminar.
Further information: Päivi Nevala, Advisor to the Minister, tel. +358 40 753 4375, Counsellor Keijo Norvanto, tel. +358 9 1605 6409 (South Korea) and Counsellor Jyrki Kallio, tel. +358 9 1605 5669 (Japan)