Rt Hon Dr Denis MacShane

Labour Party | Rotherham

MacShane urges Rotherham business link-up with Korea

10 June 2009

Rotherham MP Denis MacShane has urged Rotherham businesses to look east to Korea and called on Rotherham council leaders to seek inward invest from the dynamic Asian economy.

MacShane was speaking at the Chamber of Commerce breakfast (5 June) at the Carlton Park Hotel, Rotherham to introduce Gary Soper, who promotes British business interests from the UK embassy in Seoul the South Korean capital.

“I am delighted that Gary Soper is spending two days in Rotherham as the guest of the Council and the Rotherham Chamber of Commerce.

“I have been visiting Korea regularly for more than 20 years and Korea is now the twelfth biggest economy in the world with an impressive overseas investment programme. Rotherham has to try and get a slice of that action to create new generation jobs.

“I congratulate the Chamber of Commerce on organising a visit to Korea two months ago and was delighted that my good friend, the UK Ambassador in Seoul, Mr Martin Uden as well as Gary Soper were able to meet the delegation. I was very surprised to read an attack on this mission from a local politician but I think the Chamber of Commerce and Rotherham Council are right to promote Rotherham in Korea, And if you do not do people the courtesy of going to see them in their own country they will do think of Rotherham as a place to invest.

“Korea is Asia’s forth biggest economy with a highly educated population and the world’s biggest and best broadband access. We all see Korean products on our road in the form of Kia or Hyundai cars and in our homes or in our pockets in the form of Samsung and LG products.

“Europe as the world’s biggest single market is very important to Korea which is why I would like to see the UK as the European gateway for Korean goods into the 500 million strong EU market and Rotherham should seek to get a slice of that action.

“Koreans are hyper-friendly, play great football, love music and enjoying themselves in the Korean national dish – kimchi – a form of marinated, spicy, cabbage they have one of the best goods in the world for those who like a kick when they eat something.

“I welcome Gary Soper’s visit here as one of the UK’s most experienced trade diplomats and I hope we can now sow the seeds of a positive relationship between Rotherham and Korea.”

Ends

Notes

Denis MacShane was the Foreign Office minister responsible for UK relations with Korea 2001-2002 and continues to visit Korea regularly.