Gov. Hong, L.A. mayor agree on economic ties

South Gyeongsang Gov. Hong Joon-pyo met with Mayor of Los Angeles Eric Garcetti and exchanged certificates of economic cooperation in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

Hong asked Garcetti to cooperate in South Gyeongsang’s bid to attract investment in one of its strategic projects to create a theme park, the provincial office said.

Expecting brisk economic exchanges between the province and Los Angeles, the city with the largest population of Korean-Americans in the United States, the governor promised to try his best to eliminate barriers to U.S. investment in the province

Hong and Garcetti will discuss the opening of an L.A. trade office in South Gyeongsang Province in the near future.

Garcetti, noting his familiarity with the Korean community in the city and Korea, said that he would try to foster mutual development and interests with the Korean province in the fields of economy and culture.

The province opened a special sales booth for its agricultural and fishery products at a large Korean-American chain store in Los Angeles from Sept. 26 to Oct. 2, in conjunction with the 40th annual L.A. Korean Festival.

By Chun Sung-woo (swchun@heraldcorp.com)