Sakhalin-South Korea trade tops $ 1 bln in January-June - governor.

28/8 Tass 231

YUZHNO-SAKHALINSK, August 28 (Itar-Tass) -- Trade between Russia's
Sakhalin region and the Republic of Korea exceeded one billion U.S.
dollars in the first half of the year, Governor Alexander Khoroshavin said
on Friday during his visit to South Korea.

Khoroshavin is a member of a Russian delegation headed by Russian
Presidential Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District Viktor Ishayev,
governor's press service told Itar-Tass.
According to the press service, the Sakhalin region mainly exports
oil and liquefied natural gas to South Korea.
In 2008, bilateral trade made up five billion U.S. dollars, which was
a fourth of the total trade between Russia and South Korea, the press
service said.
According to the Sakhalin governor, almost 100 joint companies with
the participation of South Korea's capital were created in the region, the
press service said, adding that Korea's direct investments in the charter
capitals of the aforesaid companies neared 140 million U.S. dollars.
South Korean businessmen invest their funds mainly in the services,
trade, and creation of offices.
According to Khoroshavin, participation of the South Korean business
in the development of Sakhalin's coal mining industry may be very
promising.
For instance, proven coal reserves of the Solntsevskoye deposit are
150 million tonnes, while its inferred reserves are two billion tonnes,
the governor said.
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