By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter [Korea Times]

Among visitors to Ilsan Lake Park in northern Gyeonggi Province, few will disagree that the place is ideal for daytime leisure.



Ilsan Lake Park, Gyeonggi Province, ranks No.1. in the list of the best jogging and walking course in and around Seoul. / Courtesy of Environment Ministry

The nation's largest artificial lake park with a "singing fountain" was ranked as the best jogging and walking course in and around Seoul by the Metropolitan Air Quality Management Office, Thursday.

"The 5.8 kilometer-long path is an excellent place for people to walk, run and do other exercises. Other athletic activities such as marine sports and skateboarding among others are possible, too. It makes the park attractive not only for joggers but families," Sohn Ji-hwan, an office staff member, said.

The office selected 20 jogging courses in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province according to the scenery, their air condition, accessibility by public transport and whether they really fit into the concept of jogging routes.

"We all know that fresh air and a good environment means a lot for good jogging," Sohn said.



Misari Path, Hanam, Gyeonggi Province

Seoul Zoo located in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, grabbed second place. Formerly known as the Grand Park, the zoo has not only animals but also 11.4 kilometers of pathways providing the perfect environment for jogging and walking. Camping sites, art galleries as well as other cultural and leisure sites make the zoo one of the most popular places among Seoulites, the office said.

Gwangnaru between Gangdong Bridge and Olympic Bridge took fourth place. Being the only water resource preservation area in Seoul, there are several ancient housing sites, roller-skating and bicycle routes and playgrounds.

The 661,160-square-meter Green Park in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, placed eighth. A wetland with reeds, an event lounge, exhibition halls and other amenities made the park the most appreciated in Ansan, the management office said.

Sites Good for Walking

1. Ilsan Lake Park, Gyeonggi Province
2. Seoul Zoo, Gyeonggi Province
3. Wangsukcheon Park, Guri, Gyeonggi Province
4. Gwangnaru, Seoul
5. Gwangmun Park, Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province
6. Misari Path, Hanam, Gyeonggi Province
7. Geolpo Stream, Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province
8. Green Park, Ansan, Gyeonggi Province
9. Shincheon, Donducheon, Gyeonggi Province
10. Neungseon Road, Eunpyeong, Seoul

bjs@koreatimes.co.kr

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2009/08/117_50064.html


the source - http://english.gg.go.kr/

Demilitarized Zone to Be Venue for Film Festival (Korea Times)


07-28-2009

By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter

The Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) dividing the Korean Peninsula is one of the most heavily armed areas in the world. But it is also a unique hot spot for both tourism and scientific research ¡ª a specimen of the Cold War where rare species of flora and fauna abound.

The 38th Parallel now aims to reinvent the remnants of conflict into a space for artistic communication through the DMZ Korean International Documentary Festival (DMZ Docs), which opens its inaugural event from Oct. 21 to 26 in Paju, Gyeonggi Province.

Under the theme "Peace, Communication and Life," the festival will showcase documentaries from near and far.

The opening festival will take place at Daeseong Elementary School, and festival goers can watch screenings at the Paju Unification Observatory, tour the area on bicycles and watch live performances by indie bands.

Popular actor and Gyeongi Performing and Film Council Chairman Cho Jae-hyun will lead the event as festival director. Joining him on the committee are Kim Dong-ho, festival director of the Pusan (Busan) International Film Festival (PIFF); veteran actors Ahn Sung-ki, Lee Soon-jae and Choi Bul-am; and directors Park Chan-wook and Lee Jun-ik, among others.

The first festival of its kind, DMZ Docs is hosted by Gyeonggi Province and Paju City, and organized by the Gyeongi Performing and Film Council and the Gyeonggi Digital Contents Agency.

For more information call (02) 3672-0181 or visit http://www.dmzdocs.co.kr/ (to be updated soon).

hyowlee@koreatimes.co.kr

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/art/2009/07/135_49217.html



the source - http://english.gg.go.kr/

G-Fair Mumbai 2009 Presents Vast Opportunities (Korea Times)

Yeon Choul-woong (Korea Times)
Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Korean small & medium business firms from Gyeonggi Province achieved excellent results at G-Fair Mumbai 2009.

G-Fair Mumbai 2009, a combination of trade show and one-to-one meeting forum, was held with 47 Korean companies and 567 Indian buyers attending to overcome the worldwide economic crisis and provide quality Korean products to buyers. It was held at the Grand Hyatt Mumbai, Mumbai, India from May 27 to 28.

As a result of providing opportunities for G-Fair Mumbai 2009 to introduce 47 blue-chip Korean companies' products to 567 Indian and the Middle-East businesses, Korean companies signed contracts amounting to US$33.5 million through 704 cases of business negotiations.

For example, Genesis I&C, manufacturing and providing digital security solutions and video recorders, signed contracts with MCB India amounting to US$1.5 million through about 20 cases of business negotiations and are about to sign three more contracts. Morning IT Co., Ltd., a manufacturer and provider of counters and receptors for postal and electronic postal service systems, signed contracts with DIEBOLD amounting to US$500,000 and plans to sign additional contracts amounting to US$2 million within this year. TS Meditech Co., Ltd., developing and manufacturing medical devices such as the Turbo-Sonic Therapy System, signed an exclusive contract amounting to US$ 1.4 million with one of the biggest firms in the Indian franchise market, which has been introducing more than 60 types of medical products to a lot of prestigious Indian gyms so far.

The Korea IT Times recently interviewed Gyeonggi Small & Medium Business Center (GSMBC) officials to hear about the main achievements, which bring a lot of business opportunities to the participants in G-Fair Mumbai 2009.

A GSMBC official said, "There are some of the main factors that led G-Fair Mumbai 2009 to be a successful business fair. First of all, I'd like to point out the pre-arrangement. Our foreign business promotion teams in Gyeonggi Small & Medium Business Center in Mumbai have been dealing with a lot of business firms in India and the Middle-East to provide more business opportunities to Korean firms."

He said, "Second of all, as a post-arrangement, we actually invited all those local buyers to the fair, and provided face to face meeting chances to Indian and Korean companies so that Korean business firms can fully introduce their products and deal with the buyers."

"In particular, we were able to achieve even better results than we had expected from additional factors such as Korean companies' superior technologies. Based on G-Fair Mumbai 2009's success, we are planning to hold the G-Fair every year in the long-term. In the short-term, we are going to hold the G-Fair Santiago 2009 in the second half of this year aiming to achieve another round of success," he added.

http://www.koreaittimes.com/story/3777/g-fair-mumbai-2009-presents-vast-opportunities


the source - http://english.gg.go.kr/renewal/news/news/today_view.jsp?lm=01&seq=853

Korea lures 'green' investors from abroad (Korea Times)

The Korea Times; March 6, 2009

The government will attract investment from green businesses in North America to Korea by holding promotional events in Los Angeles and Toronto, Canada until March 8, officials said yesterday.

According to the Ministry of Knowledge Economy, Korean companies and Gyeonggi Provincial Government are in talks with major green businesses in North America. The list of "green" business companies participating in the event includes GE Wind, Hemlock Semiconductor, the world's biggest polysilicone manufacturer, and Ballard, the world's leading developer of hydrogen fuel cells, officials added.

The ministry also plans to attract investors in Europe during the upcoming Hannover Expo to be held in the city next month.

(christory@heraldm.com)

http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/NEWKHSITE/data/html_dir/2009/03/06/200903060067.asp

Governor Leads Ongoing Changes to Drive Up Foreign Direct Investments

11-20-2008

By Jane Han
Staff Reporter (Korea Times)

Companies around the world are slashing budgets and rolling back investments, but Gyeonggi Province seems to be riding out the negative cycle with various governor-led efforts to kick its attractiveness up a notch.

Companies around the world are slashing budgets and rolling back investments, but Gyeonggi Province seems to be riding out the negative cycle with various governor-led efforts to kick its attractiveness up a notch.

Helping to reduce risk, build trust and paying continuous attention are crucial, especially during these tough times, says Gyeonggi Provincial Governor Kim Moon-soo, exemplifying cultural differences and labor and legal issues as common initial difficulties for foreign companies.

"Expanding overseas often means starting with a significant amount of uncertainty," he said in a written interview with The Korea Times. "But expanding when the global economy is in tatters, that's uncertainty at a whole new level."

Kim stressed that his province tries hard to be in each investors' shoes and understand their concerns, so that "even the smallest problem gets attention for improvement."

So far, these efforts seemed to have paid off.

This year alone, the northwestern province has sealed 21 memorandums of understanding (MOU) with companies in a wide range of industries from auto parts to cell technology. The value of the agreements total up to more than $2.2 billion which are estimated to create 9,900 jobs, according to the provincial data. The most [recent] MOU was with SB LiMotive, a joint-venture by Samsung SDI and Germany's Bosch to develop rechargable batteries for hybrid electric vehicles.

The amount of foreign direct investment (FDI) which flowed into the province as of the end of October is $1.8 billion, which is already far more than the $765 million in 2007. Gyeonggi Province says it is aiming to reach $2 billion by year-end.

The figures are on the rise, but Kim says it's too early to be satisfied.

Korea is the only nation among Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries to have seen a drop in FDI for three consecutive years, he stressed.

In that sense, Gyeonggi Province has demonstrated unique growth, as data indicates that investment tallied until October surpasses last year's figure by 75 percent.

"Every effort, every persuasion, every improvement we make is slowly reflected in the results," said Kim, "and that's what keeps us going."

The hands-on governor has made four economic development mission trips to the U.S. and Australia this year. He consulted Universal Studios regarding future investment and sealed numerous multi-million dollar MOUs with companies overseas.

Kim says each time he makes a trip overseas, he gets a better idea of what Gyeonggi must do to get an edge over other attractive investment destinations in Asia, such as China and Singapore.

"I honestly felt slightly concerned when I saw the rapid economic development in Shanghai's new ports because that is our eventual competition," he said, adding that complacency is dangerous in today's borderless world.

Even though these other destinations are quickly emerging, Kim highlighted South Korea's unique benefits over them.

Talented labor force, advanced technology and infrastructure are among the factors he singled out.

"We're also at the center of action here in Northeast Asia," he said, citing that the region takes up 18 percent of the global economy and 24 percent of the world population.

The governor also seemed to be aware of drawbacks that need attention. He said comparatively higher production costs and excessive red tape are disadvantages that could be remedied.

"I think it's the attitude," says Kim. "Our basic attitude is that we're there to help immediately."

The governor said he is well-aware that time is money for companies, and that his staff does what it can do to help companies make speedy judgments and act accordingly.

He said that responding quickly to inquiries and complaints is one of the most important improvements Gyeonggi has made.

"We know that the investment environment is what makes or breaks a deal," said Kim, "and it's important for us to communicate with prospective investors."

To help improve investment conditions, 13.4 billion won has been earmarked, according to the province's 2009 budget proposal.

"The economy is clearly in a downward turn across the world, but people make up the economy," said Kim. "We can't sit idly just because the economy is bad."

When consumption slows, production rolls back and then employment stalls - it's a vicious cycle, he explained, urging, however, that individuals and companies need to see the big picture.

"We've all heard it, but I can't stress enough that making decisions based on short-term results is not wise management," said Kim, adding that there are many global players that aren't shying away from putting money into more research & development (R&D).

In the case of Gyeonggi, he said FDI actually improved in the third quarter compared to the second quarter.

Kim said there are many who are pessimistic about next year's economy, but emphasized that having such a defeated expectation will only decrease potential.

"It's time to team up," he said, "and I encourage investors to join team Gyeonggi to be winners in the end."

jhan@koreatimes.co.kr

(Source: Korea Times)

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2008/11/123_34782.html