South Korean Ambassador to Bangladesh, Lee Jang-keun, has said Korean Export Processing Zone (KEPZ) in Chattogram is showing continuous progress in developing the area through a series of efforts. KEPZ is developing the area by adding more factories, establishing ICT zones, opening design and development centers, inaugurating the country’s largest rooftop solar panel electricity generation, and inviting foreign companies, he said. The South Korean envoy, together with German Ambassador to Bangladesh Achim Troester, visited KEPZ on January 7 and looked around the factories and other facilities at the compound, including the newly opened unit of German company STRAUSS. Also Read: KEPZ Hi-Tech park will attract huge FDI, hopes Palak A renowned German outdoor and sportswear company, Strauss, officially opened its design and development center, Struass CI Factory Chattogram, at KEPZ on October 24 last year. Around 200 people are currently employed in Chattogram -- from product development to sales and marketing.  KEPZ has successfully installed and is operating the country’s largest single rooftop solar power plant with a capacity of 22MW, which not only suffices the electricity needs of the zone but is also incorporated with Bangladesh’s national electricity grid, said the South Korean Embassy in Dhaka on Sunday. Also Read: Workers clash with cops at KEPZ; 6 hurt Ambassador Lee, together with State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid, inaugurated KEPZ’s rooftop solar panel plant on June 20, 2021. Ambassador Lee also said that KEPZ’s ICT zone is well underway as planned. Construction of the ICT zone started from April last year through a groundbreaking ceremony with the presence of ICT State Minister Zunaid Ahmed Palak and it is at the last stage of completing two factory buildings. According to the KEPZ, currently 43 operating factories are employing over 22,000 workers. Eight other factories are under construction. Read More: KEPZ textile zone can transform Bangladesh’s textile business: Youngone Chairman KEPZ is the sole private-owned EPZ in the country, operated by the Korean Youngone Corporation which is the first and the largest foreign investor in the RMG sector in Bangladesh.

South Korean Ambassador to Bangladesh Lee Jang-keun has highlighted the role of Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) Bangladesh alumni in strengthening and deepening the friendly ties between Bangladesh and Korea. He particularly mentioned their role in connecting the many talented and ambitious Bangladesh youth with the Korean academic community. Ambassador Lee also asked them to play an important role in celebrating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2023. Also read: Ambassador Lee eyes 3 dynamic strategies to boost Dhaka-Seoul ties He wished that more Bangladeshi students could find chances to study in Korea in the coming years and expressed his commitment to making strenuous efforts to this end. On Saturday, the Embassy of the Republic of Korea hosted the first ever GKS alumni meet-up in Dhaka in cooperation with the GKS Bangladesh Alumni Association. Around 40 GKS Bangladesh alumni members, President of the Korea-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KBCCI) and Chairman of the Meghna Group of Industries Mostafa Kamal, President of the Korean Community Association in Bangladesh Yoo Yong-oh, Director of KOICA Dhaka Office Do Young-Ah and other dignitaries participated in today’s event. The Global Korea Scholarship is a South Korean government programme to provide foreign students with an opportunity to study in Korean universities with scholarship. Under this program, every year around 20 Bangladesh students are going to Korea for undergraduate or graduate studies. Since 2011, 172 Bangladeshi students have benefitted from the GKS program, among which 137 were in graduate programs while 35 were in undergraduate programmes, according to the South Korean Embassy in Dhaka. At present, around 1,500 Bangladeshi students are studying in Korean universities, most of them with various scholarships opportunities, including the GKS. The number of Bangladesh students in Korea continues to increase every year, and Korea is becoming an increasingly preferred destination for Bangladesh as well as for students from all around the world, said the Embassy.

South Korean Ambassador to Bangladesh Lee Jang-keun on Saturday has said his country is looking at bringing investments of major Korean brands to Bangladesh as the country is improving its investment environment and expanding market base. “Diversification is a real task for me and for our two governments. We’ve to move beyond RMG cooperation. What we see here is that diversification is now happening,” he said on Saturday after visiting the Fair Electronics Limited factory in Narshingdi. Members of the Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh (DCAB) also visited the factory together with the South Korean Ambassador. Terming Bangladesh a growing and vibrant economy, Ambassador Lee said his country is looking at bringing investments of major Korean brands like Samsung, Hyundai and Daewoo to Bangladesh in the areas of construction, engineering, electronics and automobiles . “So long, our investments were mainly in the readymade garment sector. I think it is about eighty percent. Now we are diversifying our investments and it will continue to go up,” he said, hoping that Dhaka-Seoul cooperation will continue to grow with the presence of "big names." The South Korean envoy appreciated the business friendly initiatives of the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and noted the important role that the private sector is playing in the country. He said global big names like Samsung and Hyundai will help attract more companies to come and invest in Bangladesh. Read: Dhaka-Washington’s ”Partnership Dialogue” Sunday; Under Secretary Nuland in city “South Korean companies are eager to invest here because its market is expanding, it has demonstrated sustained economic growth, its labour cost is comparatively lower and the government is improving its policy support,” Lee Jang-keun said.

South Korean Ambassador to Bangladesh Lee Jang-Keun on Thursday said Bangladesh is an attractive investment destination for Korea. Korean companies will find more opportunities as the Government of Bangladesh makes strenuous efforts to improve business environment by removing obstacles, he said at a country lecture webinar titled “Exploring Korea- Bangladesh Relations in the Last Five Decades and Beyond.” Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) organized the event where the Ambassador delivered his lecture as guest speaker. Also read: Korea to provide $700m in soft loans between 2021-25 He said the future of Bangladesh- Korea relations looks very bright and it will get brighter with diversified success stories. Director General of BIISS Major General Md. Emdadul Bari delivered the welcome address and Chairman of BIISS Ambassador M. Fazlul Karim presided over the session and delivered the concluding remarks. Ambassador Lee highlighted that Bangladesh and Republic of Korea enjoy friendly relations since the establishment of their diplomatic relations when the Republic of Korea recognized newly independent Bangladesh on 12th May 1972. Also read: S Korea for diversifying areas of cooperation, elevating ties with Bangladesh The year 2021 marks the 49th anniversary of Korea’s recognition of Bangladesh. He mentioned that during the past five decades, the relationship between two countries has expanded and developed on every field of cooperation. Since the early 1980s, Korea has been the leading foreign investor in the RMG sector of Bangladesh. Korea continued to hold its position as a major foreign investor in Bangladesh. “Slow but steadily, more and more Korean companies started investing in different potential areas like electronics, automobiles, and ICTs,” said the Ambassador. BIISS Chairman Fazlul Karim said the year 2021 marks the 49th anniversary of Korea-Bangladesh relations and during the past five decades the two countries have developed and enjoyed strong ties and partnership in every aspect and every field of cooperation. Aside from the conventional areas of cooperation, he said, both nations are enhancing their efforts to diversify relations. “People-to-people contacts are one of them.” BIISS DG Emdadul Bari said Bangladesh and Korea have a cultural affinity that can be tapped into to nurture further cultural exchange and people-to-people contact. Besides, he said, with the rise of Korean film industry, Korean culture is earning a soft corner amongst our teens and youth, many of whom already were avid fans of K-Pop. Senior officials from different ministries, ambassadors and high commissioners, senior civil and military officials, media, academia, teachers and students from different universities participated in the webinar and shared their opinions in the open discussion session.

South Korean Ambassador to Bangladesh Lee Jang-keun has reaffirmed his commitment to strengthen engagement with Chattogram where more than 90 percent of exports and imports of Bangladesh passing through. He completed his three-day visit to Chattogram, the gateway to Bangladesh, on Monday and pledged to double his engagement there. His visit to Chattogram covered a wide range of engagements with the Korean community, business leaders and government authorities and development partners.  Congratulating the establishment of the Association of Koreans in 2021, Ambassador Lee reaffirmed his commitment to ensure safety and support the business activities of Korean people in Chattogram.

South Korean Ambassador to Bangladesh Lee Jang-keun has reaffirmed his commitment to take the bilateral ties with his host country to new heights and diversify the areas of cooperation through more engagement with the business communities in Chattogram. Stressing that the two countries have a great potential to further develop mutually beneficial economic ties, Lee said the first round table meeting in Chattogram, the gate to Bangladesh, would be another step forward towards this. The meeting on Korea-Bangladesh economic relations was held in Chattogram's World Trade Center Sunday. It was organised by the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in cooperation with the Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) and the Korea-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KBCCI). Lee made a presentation on Korea-Bangladesh relations focusing on trade and investment. Read: S Korean companies to be interested in Bangladesh’s nuclear energy sector: Envoy He also asked for the support of the CCCI for the Korean business community in Chattogram, mentioning the necessity of listening to the current investors to attract more Korean companies.

South Korean Ambassador to Bangladesh Lee Jang-keun has said Korea, as a natural and trustful partner of Bangladesh, is committed to further contributing to Bangladesh’s path towards brighter future.  Ambassador Lee also drew attention that Korea and Bangladesh will celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2023 and hoped this to be a milestone year bringing the bilateral relations to a new height.  The Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Dhaka will celebrate the Korean National Day virtually on October 3 due to the persisting corona pandemic. Every year the Korean Embassy used to hold a grand in-person reception for the celebration of its National Foundation Day, Gaecheonjeol in Korean which literally means the day of sky opening.  This day is to mark the legendary formation of the first Korean state in 2333 B.C. READ: S Korea donates Taekwondo equipment to Bangladesh Taekwondo Federation The Korean Embassy has prepared a special website for the virtual celebration which includes congratulatory video messages of a multitude of dignitaries and friends of Korea from Bangladesh government, politics and business as well as diplomatic community in Bangladesh.  Among them are Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, Parliamentarian Md. Saber Hossain Chowdhury, Archbishop George Kocherry, Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in Dhaka, Md. Atiqul Islam, Mayor of Dhaka North City Corporation, Chairman Sung Ki-hak of Youngone Corporation, representatives of international agencies such as IOM, UNICEF and UNDP, Prof. Tanweer Hasan, Vice Chancellor of IUB and Korean community in Bangladesh.  Also, students of Sarkari Shishu Paribar, EPS workers, K-pop lovers and members of Korean community in Bangladesh joined in the video celebration.  READ: Future of Bangladesh very bright for its young people: S Korean envoy The video clips of the congratulatory messages can be found at the website: www.bd-korea.com The Ambassador expressed sincere appreciation to all dignitaries and friends for joining the auspicious day especially by sending short video clips.

South Korean Ambassador to Bangladesh Lee Jang-keun on Thursday visited the construction site of the new specialized hospital under Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) and said it will serve as a symbol of close relationship between Bangladesh and Korea. "This Hospital will be the first specialized hospital in Bangladesh for the treatment of critical patients and serve as a symbol of our close relationship and ever-strengthening friendship," he said. During his visit to the site, Ambassador Lee said it is the largest project in medical area with Korea’s support. Vice-Chancellor of BSMMU Dr. Md. Sharfuddin Ahmed, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Health Md. Shahadat Hossain, Chairman and Director of the Project of BSMMU Md. Zulfiqur Rahman Khan and other staff of Hyundai Development Corporation, Sunjin Engineering and Samsung C&T were present. Also read: Chevron provides Covid-19 support to community hospitals

South Korean Ambassador to Bangladesh Lee Jang-keun on Wednesday said the future of Bangladesh is very bright for its young people who are smart, talented and eager to make a better life and better future. He made remarks while addressing a function held at the Embassy of South Korea.  Six winning teams of the "2021 K-pop World Festival Bangladesh" audition were awarded at the function. The six teams are LXS, EXD, Lost Dynasty, Dxverse, Heaven's LAW, and Blue Poppers. LXS, the first prize winner, received $1,000 and EXD, the second prize winner received $500. Read: S Korean envoy shares historical documents with FM Momen The ambassador wished the young winners’ dreams come true.  He told the young winners that if there is any message that Korea can give to the world, it is a message of hope and dream. "K-pop stars such as BTS and Black Pink are giving a message of hope to the young generation around the world," he said. The 2021 K-pop Bangladesh audition was held virtually between June and July with a  co-sponsorship of Samsung Electronics in Bangladesh. The works of the six teams were sent to the organizer of the 2021 K-pop World Festival in Korea who showed interest in the work of the two teams, EXD and Heaven’s Law. Read: S Korean envoy discusses investment opportunities in Bangladesh The organizer will select 10 teams for the final competition among those selected at the country level competition around the world.   The six talented teams of Bangladesh youths were selected among 142 teams who participated in the contest by submitting their K-pop performance video clips. The Korean Embassy has been hosting  the K-pop festival annually since 2015, but due to the corona pandemic, the festival was held virtually in 2020 and 2021. Shefa Tabassum who had won the best prize for solo K-pop dancing performance   at the 2018 Changwon K-Pop World Festival in Korea participated in today’s ceremony as an Master of Ceremony(MC).   The video works of the six winners can be found at the Embassy's YouTube Channel.

South Korean Ambassador to Bangladesh Lee Jang-keun visited the University of Dhaka on Wednesday and handed over 100 books and multimedia materials on Korea and Korean language learning to the University. DU Vice Chancellor Dr. Md. Akhtaruzzaman and Library Director Mr. Nasir Uddin Munsi were present. Both sides agreed to further promote collaborative activities between the Embassy and the University based on the various successful cooperation programmes they have made during the past decades. Congratulating the centenary anniversary of Dhaka University, Ambassador Lee also proposed to work closely together for furthering ties between Korea and Bangladesh, in particular towards the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2023. Read: Korean envoy visits NIANER; lauds role of nurses The Korea Corner was established at the University’s Central Library in July 2013 to promote the academic interest in Korea and Korea-Bangladesh relations among the University students, faculty members and general public.