Jung Won-ju meets Bhagwant Singh Mann in Seoul to discuss smart-city, infrastructure opportunities
Korea's Daewoo Engineering & Construction Chair Jung Won-ju met with Bhagwant Singh Mann, chief minister of India’s Punjab state, in Seoul on Monday to discuss potential collaborations and new business opportunities in the city and across India.
Chief Minister Mann was accompanied by a delegation of senior Punjab officials, including Chief Secretary K.A.P. Sinha, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Ravi Bhagat, Special Duty Officer Sukhvir Singh and Department of Industries & Commerce Administrative Secretary Kamal Kishor Yadav.
Welcoming the delegation to the company's headquarters in central Seoul, Jung expressed a strong interest in expanding the company’s presence in India.
“Daewoo E&C is strongly committed to entering the Indian market beyond government-level cooperation,” he said, adding that he has been emphasizing the importance of strengthening ties with India.
Jung, who also chairs Herald Media Group, publisher of The Korea Herald, highlighted broader efforts to connect the business communities of both countries. “We are cultivating various connections to help Korean and Indian companies build economic and industrial partnerships,” he said. “If there are companies that Punjab needs, we will actively help connect them through our media network.”
Mann said Punjab is at a pivotal stage of transformation, particularly as the state works to create an environment conducive to foreign investment.
“We are reshaping our economic landscape with policy stability, transparent governance and a strong focus on industrial growth,” he said. “Trust is central to our governance agenda, and we are building a robust and reliable ecosystem for investors.”
As Jung praised Punjab’s adoption of fully digital administrative processes, where approvals are granted within 45 working days, he said he was struck by the system's efficiency. “I am impressed by such innovative and bold approaches to policy execution,” he said. “I express my deep gratitude for the chief minister’s strong commitment and passion for economic development.”
Mann said Daewoo E&C’s global expertise aligns with Punjab’s upcoming development priorities, citing opportunities in smart-city projects, urban housing, civil infrastructure, green energy, hydrogen, LNG facilities, petrochemical complexes and modular construction.
Describing Punjab’s geographic advantages, he noted the state’s six airports — including two international airports — and its strong connectivity to national highways and industrial corridors. Punjab is about two and a half hours from the national capital, New Delhi, and borders six other states, making it well-positioned for companies looking to expand across northern India, he added.
The chief minister also highlighted Punjab’s strength as an agricultural hub, supplying 40 percent of India’s grains, including rice and wheat, with just 1.2 percent of the country’s land.
He expressed the state government’s strong interest in building a long-term partnership with the South Korean builder and invited Jung to visit Punjab. “Seeing the opportunities on the ground will help us understand your priorities and align them into a mutually beneficial roadmap,” Mann said. “There is tremendous opportunity, and we are ready to cooperate.”
jwc@heraldcorp.com
