2013 World Energy Congress in Daegu


January 24, 2012
The Lait, New Delhi, INDIA

“Namaste Ji”

Thank you for the kind words of introduction. As mentioned, I am here to talk about the World Energy Congress which will be held in Daegu, South Korea in October 2013.
 
You may not realize it, but India and Korea have a long, shared history.
 
This lovely young woman is actually a Korean actress named 서지혜. Her costume is, of course, Indian. She is playing the role of an Indian princess, who came to Korea in the 1st century A.D., A.D. 34 to be precise, following old trading coastal line and trade wind to become the wife of one of our Kings who also happens to be one of my ancestors. In that regard, I have Indian blood in my veins. I feel proud that I share the DNA (blood) of this exquisite lady with such a marvelous inner strength.  I cannot but exclaim to myself “What a strong woman she is!”

By the way, this stone tower is believed to have been made from the stones she brought with her, from present day Ayodhya of India. It stands as an enduring monument to the relationship between our two countries, just as the princess of India stands to Koreans as a symbol of ancient bond between Korea and India; India, the marvelous and the magnificent! 

Now, I’m going to ask you to make the same journey as this lovely lady. Let me give you the reasons why you should come to Daegu in 2013 to join the World Energy Congress.

To be sure, the first reasons are business, trade and investment.

Fast forward to today. Korea and India have enjoyed since 2010 a comprehensive economic partnership agreement or “CEPA.” Thus, in the past two years not only has trade between our two countries increased by 40% but also the areas of cooperation have grown, diversified and deepened. 

This factory has the capacity to build 600,000 cars annually, half of which are exported to global market contributing to trade surplus of this nation.  

Mahindra & Mahindra, India’s biggest utility vehicle manufacturer, acquired a controlling stake in Ssangyong Motor Co., which is one of Korea’s major automakers in 2011.

Now, I’d like to turn to an area that is of even greater interest to us all. Personally, I see one of the most promising areas for cooperation between our two countries to be that of energy. In July of 2011 Her Excellency Pratibha Patil (프라티바 바틸) visited Seoul where an agreement was signed on nuclear energy cooperation. As a follow-up, Korea Electric Power Corporation or KEPCO recently broke ground for the construction and operation of a gas combined-cycle power plant in Mumbai.

I also firmly believe that India’s chronic shortage of power can be addressed through cooperation in the field of renewable energy. In September 2011 at the Korea-India Renewable Energy Cooperative Forum held right here in New Delhi the Indian government asked for more investment from Korea in the field of renewable energy.

This takes me to the second reason why you should visit and support Daegu in 2013. The World Energy Congress, the premier energy event of its kind, brings together experts from every part of the energy community from all over the world.

In 2013 our theme will be “Securing Tomorrow’s Energy Today.” That is proactive and systematic search for sustainable energy security.

At WEC 2013 you will be meeting important people, discussing the vital issues and making connections that will be critical for you and your company’s future interests.

In Daegu you’re invited to have your company exhibit at our venue’s state-of-the-art exhibition hall. You will have to hurry, though, already 40% of the booths have been taken to companies like Astrom, edf and Mitsubishi.

Speaking of which, here is an overview of EXCO, the venue for WEC 2013 which includes the spacious exhibition hall, convention center and accommodations all in the same block.

Now the last, but certainly not the least reason you should visit Daegu is the host city itself.

Last year Daegu successfully hosted the 2011 IAAF Championships, one of the three premier sports events in the world, and won the bid to be the venue for the 2015 World Water Forum. 

Daegu is also proud of its leadership role in the field of energy. Just last year, we inaugurated Korea’s first solar thermal tower, built, I’m proud to say, by my company, Daesung Energy. This plant is the world’s first solar thermal project of its kind with power generated by heated air, through the most efficient heat exchange mechanism. The tall black box has the secret.

The region in and Daegu is part of the East Coast Energy Cluster which comprises everything from nuclear power plants to renewable energy complexes with heavy industries which feed in this energy cluster.

Thus, this region offers a wide variety of excellent technical tour destinations which will serve as witness to Korea’s emergence as world leader in electronics, shipbuilding, nuclear and automobile industries to name just a few.

In terms of traditional culture the region is also unsurpassed with UNESCO world heritage sites, in KyungJu, city of joy, just about 30 minutes drive from Daegu. KyungJu was the capital city of Shilla dynasty (unified Korea), which is Kim dynasty and full of national treasure. Wherever the Kims get together for annual family reunion in KyungJu, my father used performed the role of the Master of ceremony. I’d like to extend my personal invitation for you to KyungJu.    

Great shopping opportunities and even famous medical tourism cannot be missed either. Korea is famous for its cosmetic surgery. Your wife will know what. I am talking about. Be sure to bring her.

Hotels in and around Daegu are world class and dining is an unforgettable experience with all types of restaurants from Western to Korean, Japanese, Chinese and Indian, of course. We’re working hard to prepare for vegetarians, as well. Therefore, don’t worry about that.
 
Finally, Daegu is easy to get to via Incheon International Airport and the KTX high speed train.

I think I’ve made my case for why I believe you have all the reasons to come to Daegu. Korea and India already have the beginnings of a great relationship.  Let’s look to really expanding your networks with the global energy community in 2013. And on a personal note, since Daegu is my hometown, I look forward to welcoming each and every one of you and sharing my own hospitality.
 
Please take note:  the dates for the Congress are October 13 to 17, 2013 Our website is www.daegu2013.kr.  It is continuously being updated with lots of relevant information about the Congress. Needless to say, we are putting together a great program. We want you to be a part of it. Will you join us the successful search for sustainable energy security, securing Tomorrow’s Energy Today. 

Thank you very much!  See you all again in Daegu!

“Shukriya”