Korea stands 4th place in the order of the biggest invested countries in the Czech Republic and Korean firms are increasing activities of investment. For that reason, the Embassy in Seoul has decided to raise awareness of Korean investors about investment conditions in the Czech Republic and support their interest in the Czech Republic. The "Invest in the Czech Republic - Your gateway to Europe", was first investment seminar in Seoul, which was held in February this year during the official visit of Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka in the Republic of Korea. Now it was for the Korean businessmen and institutions located outside the capital to inform about investment opportunities in the Czech Republic, on investment zones, incentives and supported sectors. The Ambassador T. Husák, commenced the opening of the seminar expressing our interest in cooperating with Korean investors and among others, reported on the newly opened office of CzechInvest in Seoul and the support of our government to foreign investors. Then followed a speech the Commercial Council (DEC) K. Sulek who acquainted the present with the current economic situation of the Czech Republic, with a view to the development of our economy for the next year and reported on major economic projects that have already implemented the Korean companies in the Czech Republic. Head of the CzechInvest in Korea M. Jírovec and sector specialist M. Kratochvil from the Prague headquarters of CzechInvest informed about the specific conditions for foreign investors, investment zones, sectors that our government supports and also about the services provided by CzechInvest. Speeches were followed by investment experts from the Czech Savings Bank, Deloitte and CTP, which are members of the Association for Foreign Investment - AFI.
The presentation concluded with the speech of the Director of SAB Miller for the Republic of Korea, who presented the company's investment in the Czech Republic in the Pilsen brewery, inter alia, to the growing popularity of Pilsner beer brewery in the Republic of Korea. Since 2012, rising export Pilser Urquell beer to South Korea annually by about 100% and the outlook for next year is again similarly optimistic. There were attendees from not only representatives of Korean companies, but also representatives of Korean Ministries, institutions, chambers of commerce and associations. Czech Embassy in Seoul used the seminar to promote the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Czech Republic as an ideal place for Korean investment and also to support the Czech export companies.