Russia to deepen economic and cultural ties with S Korea

PUSAN (South Korea), October 10 (Itar-Tass) -- The work of the
cultural-business mission of Saint Petersburg of St. Petersburg in South
Korea began on Monday with a lecture of chairman of the foreign ties
committee of the Northern capital Alexander Prokhorenko at the Pusan
National University and a meeting of members of the Russian delegation
with their colleagues from the local Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
"The maintenance of cultural and humanitarian contacts with our
partners - four cities and provinces of South Korea is the main task of
the cultural-business mission of St. Petersburg. Among these cities is
Pusan, Taegu and Inchon, as well as the province of Chuncheon-Pukto,"
Alexander Prokhorenko, who heads the Russian delegation, said in an
interview with ITAR-TASS.
According to him, simultaneously, the task of searching for
possibilities to attract businesses oriented at these cities and the
province to cooperation with St. Petersburg is being solved. Members of
the delegation are also interested in the systems of management of those
sectors which are within the competence of city authorities. "It is
explained by the fact that the way of solving such problems as roads,
housing and communal economy, healthcare is going through a period of
transformations in Russia, and that is a common thing here. Therefore, we
are interested in using Korea's experience. The cultural-humanitarian
complex of our cooperation is also important," Alexander Prokhorenko said.
"The port city of Inchon is connected with the history of Russia by
the deed of the Russian cruiser Varyag and the cannon boat Koreyets," he
stressed. "Last year we signed an agreement on establishing friendly
relations between Inchon and Kronshtadt. And Pusan and Taegu are the
cities the partnership with which has been actively developing over the
last several years."
Apart from lectures at the Pusan National University within the
framework of the visit programme of the Russian delegation, a talk of
vice-president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of St. Petersburg
Anton Savoshchev with his Pusan colleague Park Chung Su, as well as visits
of Russian guests to the transport information centre and the Pusan
transport corporation were held.
During all the meetings, discussions on possibilities of attracting
investments, intensification of economic cooperation and deepening of
cultural exchanges were in the focus of special attention.
In the evening, a big concert will be given for residents of Pusan.