Chey in SE Asia to drum up business

SK Group has set its next target market as Southeast Asia. Chairman Chey Tae-won left Korea for a regional swing through Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia yesterday to discuss new business opportunities with leaders of the three countries.

He is scheduled to discuss SK’s potential role in establishing an early alarm system for natural disasters with Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, and resource development with the Malaysian minister for international trade and industry, Mustapa Mohamed.

When Shinawatra visited Korea and SK Hynix’s Icheon, Gyeonggi, plant in March, Chey showed a willingness to help the Thai government build infrastructure that can better withstand natural disasters, such as the floods that ravaged Bangkok and outlying rural areas last summer. The company has also offered the Thailand its green and IT technology to help the country and its businesses establish e-learning and e-healthcare systems.

“The chairman sees Thailand as a crucial market for the group to advance into the region,” a group spokesperson said.

In Singapore, Chey plans to visit the construction site of a plant in Jurong. The group has its overseas headquarters for oil trading in the country.

By Song Su-hyun [ssh@joongang.co.kr]