Day 3 opened with a very early flight to Korea.
The first meeting was with Mayor Young-Gil Song of Incheon City. Mayor who welcomed Mayor Fontana and his team.
Mayor Fontana and Mayor Young-Gil Song of Incheon City
The LEDC and Incheon City have been in discussions on an economic partnership plan since 2010 and the meeting with Mayor Song and his team had been well planned and was very successful.
Incheon City and London have similar clusters of advanced manufacturing, life sciences , research and development and logistics management and both cities are going to work together on a number of initiatives to take advantage of the upcoming Free Trade Agreement between Canada and Korea that is expected to be in place in early 2013.
Mayor Fontana also extended an invitation to Mayor Song to join him at the World Figure Skating Championships in 2013. It is expected Korea will send some of the best competitors.
Following meetings with TSI in Korea, Team London travelled to meet the corporate team at Curo Group, the head Office for Sumagen Canada, London’s groundbreaking life sciences company developing the HIV Vaccine.
Curo hosted TL at their fashion district head office, one of the 9 divisions of Curo Holdings. Following a full presentation on Curo group, and a London overview, Dr Dong Joon Kim, Vice Chairman of Curo Group hosted a wonderful traditional Korean dinner at a historic temple Palace site dating from the 5th Century AD.
Dr. Kim and his executive team were wonderful hosts and the dinner discussion centred on the exciting future potential for the HIV vaccine.
Mayor and Dr Kim Curo Group Vice Chair
When one of us succeeds we all benefit. This is a message that I have carried to Londoners for the past two years and, indeed, prior to that in my campaign. In order for our city to be the best it can be we have to work together to promote what makes us great – what sets us apart – we need to shine our own light. This was a message echoed by those who gathered for the Mayor’s Economic Prosperity Council. The group identified the need to break down silos and share. It urged Londoners to collectively promote and educate across sectors and work cooperatively for a greater good – for the benefit of all Londoners.