5 October 1995
Senator McMullan will also have discussions with his counterparts, Korea's Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, Dr Park Jae-Yoon, and Japan's International Trade and Industry Minister Hashimoto, on bilateral issues and major topics in the lead-up to the Osaka APEC meeting, particularly the issue of comprehensiveness.
Senator McMullan said Korea, which last year overtook the United States as Australia's second largest export market, represents an important and attractive trade and investment destination for Australian companies.
"Economic growth in Korea exceeded 8 per cent last year and is expected to maintain this rate at least for the next several years," Senator McMullan said.
"Political and economic trends in Korea are enhancing the prospects for bilateral trade.
"President Kim has made clear his goal of wanting to set his country on a path of liberalisation and Korea's implementation of its commitments in the Uruguay Round should have a significant impact in progressively opening up its markets.
"This should further boost bilateral trade, and provide considerable new opportunities for Australian companies, particularly for exporters of raw materials to a rapidly growing Korean economy and for suppliers of agricultural products and higher value-added, technology-based products and services."
Accompanying Senator McMullan to Korea will be a select group of 24 senior executives from 20 leading Australian companies in the food and beverage, environmental management, information technology, and aviation infrastructure industries.
"A key objective of the business mission will be to diversify even further Australia's trade with Korea by showcasing Australian expertise and capabilities in these industry sectors."
In addition to promoting Australian business interests in Korea, the mission will enable participants to develop links with Korean companies and help them to assess potential investment opportunities, both for the Australian companies in Korea and for Korean companies in Australia.
The aviation and environmental technology industry participants travel to Japan with Senator McMullan.
In the Fukuoka region, Senator McMullan will meet local business leaders and the Governor, while the industry participants will hold discussions with potential business partners. In Tokyo, Senator McMullan will also call on a number of Cabinet Ministers including International Trade and Industry Minister Hashimoto. These calls will focus on both APEC and bilateral trade issues, especially opportunities for Australia in the Japanese housing industry.
Senator McMullan will also deliver a major APEC speech to the National Press Club in Tokyo.
Members of the business mission are listed below:
[Note: Companies with an asterisk will also accompany the Minister to Japan]
ENVIRONMENT
- Eco-care Pacific Pty Ltd - David Murdoch, Managing Director*
- Memtec Limited - Rhett Butler, Regional Manager
- Entherm Pty Ltd - John Smeed, Executive Chairman*
- Sulo MGB Australia Pty Ltd - Anne Prince, Export Manager, and Greg Gornall, Managing Director
- Blackwattle Environmental - David Pratt, Director
- CMPS&F - Grahame Campbell, Managing Director
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
- AWA Micro Electronics Pty Ltd - Tony Cooper, Marketing Manager.
- Creative Software Technologies - Mark Ross, Managing Director
- ISR Group Limited - Ian Dunkley, Director; Terry Gray, General Manager; and Soon-HengTeh, International Business Development Manager
- Genasys II Pty Ltd - Trevor Wilson, Managing Director
FOOD
- Vecon Asia Pty Ltd - John Baily, Director
- RiceGrowers Cooperative Ltd - Ian Davidge, Chairman of Directors, and Milton Bazley, Regional Export Manager
- Cherry Berry Fine Foods Group - Carolyn O'Brien, Director - Export. and Kevin O'Brien, Director - - Sales and Marketing
- P Cleland Enterprises - Ross Cleland, Marketing Director
AVIATION
- Stanilite Electronics Pty Ltd - David Chan, Manager - Major Projects
- Krone Australia Technique Pty Ltd - Ross Massicks, General Manager -Information Display Systems.*
- Lochard Environment Systems Pty Ltd - Martin Adams, Managing Director*
- Ambidji Group Pty Ltd - Stewart Wallace, Principal Engineer*
- Adacel - Silvio Salom, Managing Director*
- Almos Systems Pty Ltd - Steve Rakoczy, Managing Director.
Further information: John Flannery, (06) 277 7420
ITINERARY FOR SENATOR McMULLAN'S VISIT TO KOREA AND JAPAN 8 - 14 OCTOBER 1995
Sunday 8 October
1840. Arrive Seoul
Monday 9 October
SEOUL
AM
(With Food Group) to Sunkyong Food Distribution Centre
(With Information Technology and Aviation Groups) to visit Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology.
PM
Signing ceremony for two information Technology companies at Shilla Hotel: ISR and Hanil Group, Creative Software and Anam.
Tuesday 10 October
SEOUL
Call on President of LG-EDS with Genasys.
Aviation Group to meet with Korea Aviation Construction Authority (KOACA).
Lunch with Mission Members and Korean industry representatives at Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Call on Minister for the Environment.
Call on Minister for Trade Industry and Energy (MOTIE).
Ministerial Trade Talks at the Government Centre.
Dinner for Senator McMullan an mission members hosted by Korean Minister for Trade Industry and Energy.
Wednesday 11 October
PUSAN
0850 Arrive Pusan
Minister to call on Mayor of Pusan
Roundtable discussion with Environment Department of Pusan City and Pusan Development Institute, with mission members
Lunch with Pusan civic and business leaders
1540 Pusan to Fukuoka.
Wednesday 11 October
FUKUOKA
1625 Arrive Fukuoka
Dinner with local political and business leaders.
Thursday 12 October
Meeting with Mayor, Kitakyushu City (Mr Koichi Sueyoshi).
"Kitakyushu-Australia Infrastructure Summit".
Luncheon with Australian business representatives in Kyushu: Bildakit Homes, Wavemaster, Nutrimetics, and Red Earth Japan.
Meet with Governor of Kumamoto Prefecture (Mr Jyoji Fukushima).
Ceremony with Governor to commemorate the first Australian house to be constructed in Kyushu. Australian company: Buildakit, Japanese customer: Link Japan.
Witness signing of Letter of Intent for the purchase of the first Australian fast ferry for Kyushu. Australian company: Wavemaster, Japanese company: Ezaki Kisen.
Acknowledge the establishment of the first Red Earth stores in Japan.
Thursday 12 October
1755 Depart Kumamoto for Tokyo.
TOKYO
Evening briefing on the outcomes of the Tokyo APEC SSOM by Australian delegates.
Friday 13 October
TOKYO
Breakfast meeting with members of the Australia-Japan Dietmembers' League.
Call on MITI Minister Hashimoto and other Cabinet Ministers.
Speech on APEC at the National Press Club.
Signing ceremony for Memorandum of Understanding between Australian Consulting Engineers and their Japanese counterpart body.
Saturday 14 October
TOKYO
Breakfast hosted by the Australia-New Zealand Chamber of Commerce.
Austrade/Qantas sponsored Flower Arrangement Show at the Mitsukoshi Department Store. (Senator McMullan to present first prize.) Official opening of the Red Earth cosmetics boutique at Mitsukoshi Department Store.