Governor Perdue Leads Business Delegation to Japan and Korea

Governor Perdue Leads Business Delegation to Japan and Korea

Governor will attend annual SEUS-Japan conference in Tokyo

ATLANTA – Governor Sonny Perdue will lead a state delegation on an economic development mission to Asia October 14 – 19. Governor Perdue will join with governors and senior officials from seven other Southeastern states for the 31st annual SEUS-Japan Conference, which this year is being held in Tokyo. Following his time in Japan, the Governor will travel to Seoul, Korea.

“Business today requires that Georgia compete in the global marketplace, and this trip will help us extend the international relationships that have created jobs and investment here in our state,” said Governor Perdue. “This trip will strengthen our long-standing business connections with Japan and will continue to grow our emerging relationships in Korea.”

The Governor’s delegation will include State Senate Majority Leader Tommie Williams, Commissioner Ken Stewart of the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), and Doug Marchand, executive director of the Georgia Ports Authority. Also joining the Governor at the SEUS-Japan conference will be business leaders from throughout the state, as well as economic development professionals from various Georgia communities.

Created in 1975 by former Georgia Governor George Busbee, the SEUS-Japan Association exists to promote trade, investment, tourism, educational, and friendship ties between Japan and the states of Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. Mississippi becomes the eighth member state this year. Almost 600 top business leaders and government officials will attend the annual meeting. This year’s theme is “Building on Three Decades of Success,” and includes focused sessions on logistics, energy, and alternative fuels.

“This conference highlights the strategic location the southeastern United States offers international companies looking to reach the U.S. market,” said Governor Perdue. “Sharing knowledge and strengthening our partnership with one of the world’s biggest economies benefits the entire region as well as our state.”

Japan is Georgia’s fifth-largest trade partner, with nearly $1.1 billion in annual exports. In addition, seven Georgia cities have sister-city relationships with Japanese cities. The State has operated an international office in Tokyo since 1973 to foster trade and investment.

In addition to attending the conference, Governor Perdue will make a number of business calls, focusing on several key sectors, including automotive, electronics, chemicals, and agricultural machinery.

Following his visit to Tokyo, Governor Perdue will return to the Republic of Korea for a series of meetings with Kia Motors, potential and announced Kia suppliers, and other companies in various fields. Governor Perdue last visited Korea in March 2006 to announce that Kia would establish its first U.S. automotive manufacturing plant in West Point. That facility is now under construction and hiring for 2,800 jobs will soon begin.

The Republic of Korea ranks 12th among Georgia’s export destinations, with exports to Korea in 2006 totaling more than $382 million. That same year, imports from Korea through the Savannah Customs District came to almost $3 billion. Korean capital investment in Georgia last year was more than $2 billion.

This Asia mission marks the 12th overall international trip and fourth to Eastern Asia of Governor Perdue’s fifty-six months in office. Previous visits include: Germany and the United Kingdom (June 2003); Japan and Korea (October 2003); El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras (May 2004); Brazil, Chile, and Argentina (June 2004); Mexico (September 2004); Canada (July 2005); Japan (October 2005); Israel (November 2005); Korea (March 2006); and Ireland, the United Kingdom, France, the Czech Republic, Germany, and Belgium (June 2007). The Governor also visited with United States military personnel during a Thanksgiving 2005 trip to Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.

Georgia citizens will once again be able to follow developments during the trip on the Web site http://www.StateofGeorgiaMissions.com. The Web site debuted during Governor Perdue’s mission to Europe in June 2007, serving as a central source of information. Mission participants will update the site throughout the trip with press releases and photographs. For those who seek more information about the places visited on the mission, links will be provided to the embassies and consulates of Japan and Korea.

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