French Chamber to hold year-end gala with Korean celebs




By Yoav Cerralbo


The French Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry will hold a year-end gala on Saturday, which officials said will toast the new business opportunities brought by the EU-Korea Free Trade Agreement.
The officials said the event at the Grand Hyatt hotel will be attended by L’Oreal model and “Lost” actress Kim Yun-jin and Miss Korea 2010 Jung So-Ra.
“The chamber’s gala is a unique way to highlight the French-Korean relations with VIP guests, Korean celebrities and French and Korean business C-level top managers,” said chamber chairman David-Pierre Jalicon.
Jalicon, who is the founder and CEO of architecture company DPJ and Partners, will recreate Paris in the late 18th century.
As entertainment, the chamber welcomes French artists from the musical “1789, Les Amants de la Bastille” and Korean artists from the French musical adaption “Mozart, l’Opera Rock,” which will be launched in March 2012.
Created in 1986 to support a dozen members, the chamber has grown to represent more than 210 companies, most of which are French or French-related Korean companies.
French companies have become key business partners with Korea, as France is Korea’s 4th largest trade partner with trade valued at over $7.2 billion last year.
Jalicon noted that it is the only country to have activities in every business sector in Korea.
France is also in 4th place in terms of foreign investment with over 200 companies established in Korea.
“Since the implementation of the EU-Korea FTA, the number of French companies planning to invest in Korea keeps growing, enhancing the role of the chamber as a business link between France and Korea,” he said.
(yoav@heraldcorp.com)