Trip to North Korea, Rason, and visit of the 5 th Rason Trade Exhibition

Transcription

1 Trip to North Korea, Rason, and visit of the 5 th Rason Trade Exhibition When: 20 th until 24 rd August 2015 Where: Organizer: Rason Special Economic Zone, DPR Korea The trade exhibition is organized by the Organization Committee of Rason International Trade Exhibition in DPR Korea This year, Hanns Seidel Foundation Korea, which is active in the field of political and economic education in Rason since more than 5 years, in cooperation with the Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KGCCI) offer interested companies the opportunity of visiting the Rason Trade Exhibition and to learn about the business environment in the Rason Special Economic Zone. How to participate: HSF Korea can assist interested companies to participate at the event and will request the participation after receiving copies of the passport and a short CV of the potential participants. Flight tickets, accommodation and meals need to be purchased by the participants individually. Travel dates: 19 th August Arrival in Yanji, China Please book the accommodation well in advance. We recommend to stay at Yanbian International Hotel in Yanji. 20 th August Transfer from Yanji to Rason via Hunchun/Wonjong Border. Briefing at Rason upon arrival. The accommodation will be arranged by HSF and the local partner. Costs need to be taken over by the participants individually upon arrival. 21 st August Visit of local companies and organizations in Rason 22 nd August Visit of the 5 th Rason International Trade Exhibition 23 rd August Visit of the Harbor of Rajin and others 24 th August Transfer from Rason to Yanji via Hunchun/Wonjong Border 25 th August Flight to the home destination If you are interested to participate or if you have any questions, please contact glenk@hss.or.kr

2 Background The Rason Special Economic Zone and the Rason International Trade Exhibition The Rason Special Economic Zone (formerly known as Rajin-Sonbong Economic Special Zone) which was established in 1991, is located in DPR Korea at the border to China and the Russian Federation. Its location has given the Zone much logistical advantages as its ports can be used for exports from China, Mongolia and the Russian Federation. Rajin port as well as street and railroad connections to China and Russia have been systematically modernized during the past five years including a number of new building projects and increasing foreign investments have been entering the Zone. However, the great visions of the early 1990s to make it the Singapore of the North were soon found out to be fictitious. Communication, political interference, transportation problems and lack of energy made larger investments impossible. The situation changed with the systematic development of the Chinese Northeastern provinces. In this strategy Rason plays a potentially role as a port for Manchurian industry, since China lacks a Pacific harbor. Such a port could cut the way for exports to Japan and the US considerably, but also for inner- Chinese transport the port would bring advantages, since for example coal from Manchuria can be transported cheaper by sea than on the land route. Until 2009 the road from Yanji to Hunchun (i.e. the North Korean border) was expanded to a motorway. In 2010 the bridge over the Tumen river, the border river of China and North Korea, which still dated from the Japanese occupation in the 1930s, was renovated. In 2011 until early 2012 the road from Wonjoong (North Korean border post) to Rajin, 50 km in all, was completely rebuilt with Chinese construction companies and workers. Formerly frequent accidents with heavy transporters, which brought goods from Rason to China (e.g. cooling trucks for bringing seafood for processing to Yanji) now belong to the past. From August 21 th to 23 rd, 2015, the 5 th Trade Exhibition in the Special Economic Zone will take place. North Korea has since the mid-1990s carried out several trade fairs which were visited mainly by Chinese firms, beside Korean firms. In 2011 the first Rason Trade Exhibition took place. Around 130 exhibitors from North Korea, China, Russia, Taiwan, Sweden, the Czech Republic and the USA (mostly minicompanies residing in China) participated during the last 5 events. According to the exhibitors, every day people visited the fair, i.e. all in all around , a respectable number for Rason.

3 Why to go to Rason? While North Korea is certainly a difficult environment for investors, Rason is the place where most experience with foreign investment exists, and for a long time, too. This is especially true for Rason s role as a logistics hub. Currently, in a second trial tons of coal are brought from Russia via Rason to South Korean ports. The trial run will be part of the decision-making process regarding South Korean participation in the project to modernize the railway connection from Russia to Rason and beyond, throughout North Korea. The Hassa (Russia)-Rason line is already a double-track line, accommodating as well Russian as North Korean railways. This again will have an impact on the South Korean goal to realize the iron silkroad between Europe and Asia. Among the fascinating things to observe in the region, the planful way in which China develops its Northeastern ChangJiTu (Changchun, Jilin and Tumen River) region and connects it via Rason to the world can be observed in the current ongoing projects of the highspeed train to Hunchun (near the Chinese-Korean border) and the construction of a new bridge between China and North Korea over the Tumen river. Also, in the zone a certain economic dynamism, despite all restrictions, can be seen in the rapid emergence of a vibrant construction sector, taxi and delivery services, hospitality industry and market activities. Besides the industry fair, visits to the market, the harbor, companies in the region and talks with representatives of the zone can be arranged.

4 Please note: HSF Korea will only assistant with the communication with the local partner in DPR Korea but does not take over any costs of the participants. The participants are part of a delegation arranged by HSF Korea, but the visit of Rason is on their own responsibility. There is no Visa obligation to visit Rason. However, a registration of the participants is needed. HSF Korea will assist with the communication with the local partner after the reception of a copy of the passport and a short CV of the participants. For the stay in China a double-entry Visa is needed. To apply for a Chinese Visa a designated travel agency needs to be contacted. Please note this announcement by the Chinese Embassy in South Korea: 1. From Sep. 1, 2007, the Consular Office of the Chinese Embassy in South Korea (ROK) will no longer accept individual applications for L (Tourist) Visa, F (Business) Visa, X (Student) Visa, Z (Work) Visa, G (Transit) Visa and so on. Therefore, citizens of ROK and other aliens in ROK have to apply for China visa (Hong Kong Visa is not included) through travel agencies authorized by the Embassy. Information about HSF Korea The Hanns Seidel Foundation, founded in 1967, is a German political foundation, close to the Christian Social Union (CSU), providing political education in the Service of Democracy, Peace and Development in Germany and abroad. It has been working for more than 35 years in the field of development cooperation and is currently taking an active part in approximately 100 projects in around 60 countries worldwide. Our international activities based on Christian-social ideals seek to promote humane living conditions and to contribute to sustainable development by strengthening peace, democracy and social market economy. In cooperation with our local partners we realize projects in the areas of political consulting and education. Our partners independency and ownership are of particular importance to us. In the DPR Korea, we work since 2003 with projects on sustainable forestry, organic agriculture, carbon finance and economic development and trade.

5 This invitation was published by the Organization Committee of Rason International Trade Exhibition of DPR Korea on 28 th of November 2014 Invitation Letter The 5 th Rason International Trade Exhibition (RITE 2015) shall be opened on 21 st of August 2015 in the midst of highly increasing interest and enthusiasm of many companies from the world. From the 1 st RITE on 2011, it becomes the important international assembly to realize the economic cooperation and cultural exchange by the common aspiration and effort of many government and companies of the world for development and prosperity. Multifarious eco-trade and cultural exchanges including Investment Seminar of Rason International Economic Trade Zone, Rason Tourist Photo Exhibition, Investment and eco-trade conference between the companies shall be activated in high level during the exhibition. Convincing that 5 th RITE shall be the significant occasion for the friendship and cooperation between the countries of the world, the Organization Committee of RITE invites Mr / company to 5 th RITE. Organization Committee of Rason International Trade Exhibition.