Take 5: Han Duk-soo - Lansing State Journal

Han, the South Korean ambassador to the United States, recently stopped in East Lansing and spoke with nearly 100 people at the Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center at Michigan State University.

 

Basketball aside, his speech focused largely on the proposed Korea-U.S. free trade agreement, which he said would help create American jobs.

 

The pact was signed by President George W. Bush in 2007, but has not been approved by Congress.

 

Han has been promoting the agreement during visits to various American cities, including Detroit earlier this month.

 

• Why do you support the U.S.-Korea free trade agreement?

 

The Korea-U.S. free trade agreement offers one of the best opportunities to create U.S. jobs by providing new export opportunities for American manufacturers, farmers and small- and medium-sized companies

 

• What does Lansing's EB-5 Regional Center designation - which allows immigrants to obtain permanent U.S. residency when they invest $500,000 in a commercial enterprise that creates at least 10 direct or indirect full-time jobs - mean to potential investors from South Korea?

 

This green card (program) would be very beneficial for Korean businesses to do their business in a more stable and sustainable way.

 

• Why do U.S. troops remain in South Korea?

 

That military presence on the Korean peninsula is crucial for peace and stability in that region. Still, North Korea is not a totally peaceful country. They are provoking from time to time.

 

U.S. and Korea are standing together in deterring that military provocation. Our military alliance has a history of already 60 years (dating back to the Korean War) and we believe that military alliance relationship will continue even after the unification of Korea as a stabilizing factor in that northeastern region.

 

• What's the importance of South Korea's relationship with Michigan State University?

 

Michigan State University is very good at engineering. Fifty-eight Korean parts and components companies (in Michigan) ... have a very good relationship with Michigan State University and University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

 

• Are there any significant developments on the horizon involving South Korea in this region?

 

Korean businesses have a lot of interest in this region because it has a very good infrastructure and Korean investments are rapidly increasing.

 

They will mainly start projects with automobile-related areas because you have a very good infrastructure here and (in) some neighboring states.

 

Some parts components companies are evaluating the merits and demerits of the region in a quite careful way.

 

Source: Lansing State Journal (MI)