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| ▲ New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy speaks at an event to commemorate the signing of an agreement that allows South Koreans and New Jerseyans to convert their driver's licenses, at a hotel in Seoul on Oct. 18, 2023. (Yonhap) |
(Yonhap Interview) New Jersey governor
(Yonhap Interview) New Jersey Gov. seeks to deepen economic ties with S. Korea
By Yi Wonju
SEOUL, Oct. 18 (Yonhap) -- New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said Wednesday his state is an attractive destination for investment with a high-skilled workforce, diverse culture and proximity to New York, expressing hope to expand economic ties with South Korea in a wide range of areas.
Murphy is currently on a nine-day economic mission to South Korea and Japan, leading a 50-member delegation to meet business leaders, government officials and startups.
"The trajectory and the deepening and the significance of our alliances between the United States and the Republic of Korea is among the steepest and most positive of trajectories," he said in an interview with Yonhap News Agency, calling South Korea an "existentially important ally."
Murphy said Washington's ties with Seoul are among the "most important in the world" as the globe is at a "challenging place right now," including escalating threats from North Korea, the U.S.-China rivalry, strengthening ties between Pyongyang and Moscow, as well as conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.
"This is a country that we're about as close to as any country," the two-term governor said, as the U.S. and Korea celebrate their 70th anniversary of alliance this year.
Murphy pointed out that New Jersey has much to offer for South Korean firms, given its high-skilled engineers, openness to cultural diversity and proximity to New York.
"We offer talent, we have the best public education system in America, among the best universities, the highest concentration of scientists and engineers of anywhere in the world ... we offer a welcoming environment for international folks to come and live," he said.
Over 100 South Korean companies, including major firms like Samsung Electronics, currently have their North American headquarters based in New Jersey.
New Jersey has the third-largest Korean population in the country with more than 100,000 people and the highest concentration per capita of Koreans in the entire U.S, according to Murphy.
"So both the U.S.-Republic of Korea relationship is incredibly important, and the New Jersey relationship with this country is also incredibly important," he said. "I see this alliance only getting stronger, only getting better, only getting more significant."
On people-to-people exchanges and cooperation in education, Murphy said he will seek to boost student exchange programs between New Jersey and South Korea.
"The basic view is, if you walk in the other guy's shoes, you're a lot less likely to have conflict, you're a lot more likely to be tolerant and understand each other, more likely to be a global citizen," he said.
Last year, Murphy signed legislation that makes it mandatory for schools in New Jersey to include Asian American and Pacific Islander history in their curriculums.
During his trip, Murphy will meet with top executives from leading pharmaceutical firm Samsung Biologics, as well as LG Electronics Inc., CJ Group and others to discuss ways to step up cooperation in bio, pharmaceutical, life sciences, technology, telecom and energy.
Earlier in the day, New Jerseysigned a memorandum of understanding with the city of Seoul to boost bilateral cooperation in various sectors, including economy, education, science and culture.
He will also visit the War Memorial of Korea in Yongsan, central Seoul, to pay his respects to American soldiers killed fighting for South Korea in the Korean War and in honor of thousands of New Jerseyans who participated in the war.
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