40 Million Dollar Investment Attraction from Air Products,
World Top 4 Industrial Gas Company

Chungcheongnam-do concluded a 40 million dollar worth investment agreement from Air Products in the U.S. and another deal worth 670 million won in Japan. With the foreign investment, it is expected to surpass this year's foreign capital inflow goal.

The provincial government brought investment of world top 4 company in industrial gas this March. Governor Heejeong An sealed an investment agreement with Wayne M. Mitchell, electronic sector president of Air Products, and Jongsul Lee, industry and environment director of Asan city in Allentown, Pennsylvania, U.S. on March 22. Accordingly, Air Products will invest 40 million dollars by next year to extend an industrial gas plant of 10,775㎡(approximately 3,259 pyeong) in Asan Tangjeong Complex. Air Products will provide special gas produced at the plant for Samsung Electronics, Samsung Mobile Display(SMD), and Samsung Corning.

Chungcheongnam-do estimates 248.9 billion won of sales, job creation for 180 employees, production inducement effect of 292.2 billion won, and 145.9 billion won worth of added value inducement from the investment agreement. 10 million dollars of import substitution effect and 199.1 billion won of indirect export effect are also expected.

Governor An said, “The investment from Air Products, world top 4 industrial gas company will strengthen the position of Chungcheongnam-do as the semiconductor display industry mecca and boost regional economy,” and promised active support. Air Products, established in 1940, is an special industrial gas manufacturer that produces and provides gas to 300 customers around the world with 18,900 employees and 10 billion dollars of annual sales.

Investment Promotion Delegation Team Lured 67 Million Dollars

On May 15, it signed another MOU with Advantest in Tokyo to draw 30 million dollars for building semiconductor test equipment production factory, and the other one worth 20million dollars with Fuji Film for electronic material factory operation. Again, on 16th, it lured 17 million dollars of investment from Miura, a Japanese company that produces industrial boiler.

In particular, president Masao Shimizu of Advantest said, “we are planning to design, manufacture, and sell all DI(Device Interface) processes as well as semiconductor handler equipment in Korea. We also plan to build R&D and service centers.”

The delegation team also discussed with 3 companies including one initialized as D to have MOU talks in Korea or Japan in the latter half of this year. Accordingly, Chungcheongnam-do successfully invited 5 global companies for investment, out of 8 in the list for this year's foreign investment. As for amount (based on MOU), it already reached 307 million dollars, which is 89% of last year's total foreign investment amount to the province. It is expected that this year's investment attraction target should be surpassed.

The province plans strategies of △luring renewable energy and green companies in photovoltaic and LED, △focusing on service companies in media and tourism·leisure that can bring out large effect on employment generation, △inducing current 170 investors to invest more by identifying and addressing their difficulties, targeting traditional investor countries of the U.S., Europe, and Japan.

U.S. La shriners hospital medical Team Visits Korea

▲U.S. La shriners hospital medical Team

The medical team from Shriners Hospitals for Children in Los Angeles, U.S. visited Korea to treat physically challenged children. The team made an agreement with Chungcheongnamdo, and have been providing disabled children in the province with free medical treatment.

Doctor John Lorants in charge of medical treatment of disabled Korean children stayed in Korea with his team including nurse Heidi Park from April 29 to May 8, and checked health status of the children treated in the U.S. and saw if any further procedures were required. On April 30, the next day after arrival, the Dr. Lorants team visited Chungnam National university Hospital and carried out preliminary checkup for physically challenged children in the province. Then the team examined 13 children in the province who had been treated back in the U.S. at Dankook University Hospital in Cheonan on May 1. They treated 16 children from Daejeon, Chungcheongnam-do on the 2th, and another 21 from Chungcheongnamdo and Chungcheongbuk-do at Chungbuk National University Hospital. Those who need surgery as a result of examination will undergo further procedures at LA Shriners Hospital in the U.S. Remote medical treatment via video conference between Chungbuk National University Hospital and LA Shriners Hospital was conducted to examine 7 children with scoliosis and new orthopedic symptoms.

Shriners Hospitals for Children, established back in 1952, specializes in burn and spine fracture. It signed a free medical treatment agreement for disabled children with Chungcheongnam-do in 1997. About 120 children from the province have been treated in the U.S.

Development of Chrysanthemum Planting System
Maximizes Export to Japan

Chungcheongnam-do Agricultural Research & Extension Services decided to set and distribute chrysanthemum varieties for export and their planting system to contribute to increase in farming income. As this year's average March temperature in both Korea and Japan was 2~4℃ lower than last year, production of chrysanthemum bud is expected to be delayed, causing an absolute supply shortage during Obon-jeol and Chubun-jeol, Japanese holidays when cut-chrysanthemum consumption is in its peak. Therefore, the agency came up with a strategy to increase chrysanthemum export to Japan by developing and distributing cropping patterns for summer cultivation.

According to cropping patterns for summer cultivation reported by the Agricultural Research & Extension Services, the best plant ing t ime a iming at Japanese Obong-jeol on August 15 is from April 15 to 25, the lights-out for making flower bud is on June 10, and shipment should be between July 25 and August 8. The best planting time for Japanese Chubun-jeol on September 21 is from May 10 to 15, the lightsout is from July 10 to 15, and shipment is from September 5 to 12. Main Korean varieties for export are ‘Baekma', ‘Borami', and ‘Yes Song'. There was an export agreement of 2 million chrysanthemums cultivated in main export complexes in Yesan, Taean, Buyeo, Geumsan, and Seocheon.

Gorvernor An Met UK Deputy Foreign Minister

▲Gorvernor An Met UK Deputy Foreign Minister

Chungcheongnam-do governor Heejeong An met UK deputy foreign minister Jeremy Browne and UK ambassador in Korea Scott Wightman who visited the provincial office on March 17. Deputy minister Browne and his team made the visit as they attended International Symposium commemorating Basic Science Research Center held in Daejeon Convention Center.