The owner and a reporter of one of the biggest publications in South Korea were here yesterday to gather news and other facts about the islands
Bang Jae-Sun, chairman of the board of The Chosun Ilbo, and reporter Choi Won Soon said their short visit would give them the chance to write a special report for their weekend edition.
The visiting journalists were scheduled to leave for Korea last night.
Bang said before they do business in the CNMI, Korean investors want to know how soon will the federalization of local immigration will happen, and how.
The new immigration regulations have yet to be published but some Korean investors have already expressed willingness to invest in the CNMI, he added.
He said the CNMI’s natural environment, specifically its tropical climate, and status as a U.S. insular area provide opportunities to any investor, with or without a federalized immigration system.
The CNMI’s economic slump does not deter Korean investors, Bang said.
Businessmen know that everyone is affected by the global economic downturn, he added, and are aware of the islands’ investment potentials.
Department of Public Lands Secretary John Del Rosario, who also met with the Korean journalists, said investors always see opportunities in the middle of a crisis.
An official of South Korea’s giant conglomerate, Kumho, told him that there are always great opportunities even during bad times, Del Rosario said.
Bang said they want to introduce the CNMI to their 2.5 million subscribers in South Korea, which include potential tourists and investors.
While here, they visited the site of the future Flame Sako Resort & Spa in San Roque.
“We want to let the people in Korea know about the valuable investment prospects in the CNMI,” Bang said.
