Faisal Zahid Malik terms Korean companies’ contributions vital for Pakistan’s overall development
Ambassador of South Korea, Mr Park Kijun has said that Korea values its relations with Pakistan and the bilateral ties between the two countries are based on mutual respect and a common desire to strengthen cooperation in different areas including trade, tourism, education, Science & Technology, IT and energy, etc.
He expressed these views while talking to Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of Pakistan Observer, Mr Faisal Zahid Malik and Head of Digital Media & Strategy, Pakistan Observer, Mr Saud Faisal Malik who called on him to discuss matters of mutual interest and the Pakistan-Korea cooperation. The ambassador briefed the Pakistan Observer team about the investment by the Korean companies in Pakistan and said friendship between the two countries spanned over a period of four decades and would grow further in the days to come.
He particularly referred to the ongoing project of the IT Park which was recently visited by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also. The under-construction 10 floor building will house the worlds’ top names in IT and feature all the latest facilities of an IT Park, he said. An incubation centre for instance with 15 offices and startups is also part of the technology park with a business support centre where legal marketing and financial support facilities would be provided. Moreover, around 10,000 productive jobs would be created in the IT Park for the skilled and knowledgeable workforce. The technology park would create synergy between domestic and foreign academia, researchers, industry and planners. It is pertinent to mention here that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during a visit to the IT Park under-construction building had directed the project team to complete it within the current year instead of the set deadline of June 2025.
The project is being completed at a cost of Rs25 billion out of which $70 million (soft loan) is being provided by the South Korean government. Mr Faisal Zahid Malik while commending the role and contributions of the Korean companies in the uplift of Pakistan’s economy said people of Pakistan, particularly the youth and the business community looked towards Korea as their dream destination.
He particularly mentioned Daewoo, Hyundai, and Samsung. All these Korean companies have won the Pakistan people’s trust. Moreover, Korean culture, particularly K-pop, and Korean dramas and films also have a significant presence in Pakistan. ‘Korean Week’, he said, would definitely enhance the Korean charm and will bring the people of the two countries closer together. Pakistan Observer, said Mr Faisal Malik, has always been promoting strong and cordial relations between Pakistan and South Korea and will continue to do this in future too, he said.
