Slovakia could see South-Korean investments amounting to dozens of millions of euros in the future, as Slovak representatives are holding talks with several potential investors, some of them already operating in Slovakia, Foreign Affairs Minister Juraj Blanar and the ministry's State Secretary Rastislav Chovanec said during their working trip to South Korea on Tuesday, elaborating no more details.
"There is an indication that we will have another Korean project in Slovakia. The Slovak Investment and Trade Development Agency (SARIO), as well as representatives of our diplomatic mission in the country are in talks with several investors or investment groups, some of them already established in Slovakia, which are interested in bringing their new production programmes to Slovakia," said Chovanec.
"We have a lot of projects on the table that are slowly maturing and we are convinced that they will mature until the final cooperation. And we will gradually inform you about them," confirmed Blanar, adding that Slovakia wants to be a solid partner. Therefore, he didn't want to reveal in advance details that haven't been definitively agreed yet.
However, Chovanec is optimistic in this regard. "We are momentarily talking about investments amounting to dozens of millions of euros," he said.
Blanar also mentioned the expansion of the Korean car prodution plant in Zilina that was recently supported by the government. The carmaker gained state stimuli amounting to €29.95 million in the form of the income tax allowance for the investment that should total almost €108 million.
South Korea is the most important Asian and the fourth biggest investor in Slovakia in general. The volume of direct foreign investment from this country amounts to some €3.6 billion. Some 100 Korean companies are currently operating in Slovakia, chiefly in the automotive industry and electronics.
(TASR)
