AKBC e-Newsletter September
Dear AKBC Members,
The world’s largest exhibition exploring opportunities to grow the global hydrogen economy kicked off in Korea this month, with WA State Minister for the Hydrogen Industry, the Hon. Alannah MacTiernan MLC, providing the keynote address. H2 Mobility Energy Environment Technology – or H2Meet in short – brought together a total of 241 experts, government officials and industry figures from 16 different countries in order to exhibit their latest technological achievements in the hydrogen industry and advance international cooperation in the increasingly important field. Minister MacTiernan attended the event as part of her three-day investment and trade mission to Korea, aimed at attracting Korean investment into Western Australian renewable energy.
“WA and Korea are a perfect match when it comes to the development of the global renewable hydrogen industry,” said MacTiernan.
“Korea is seeking hydrogen supply and the decarbonisation of systems, and WA is well-positioned to be an optimal large-scale producer and exporter of renewable hydrogen. Senior Korean steelmakers are seriously invested in producing green iron in WA and we want to advance these discussions.”
MacTiernan followed up her speech at H2Meet with a visit to the Shinincheon Bitdream Fuel Cell Power Plant – the world’s largest hydrogen fuel cell power plant. The WA Government recently announced plans to build their own hydrogen plant in the Pilbara, set to be one of the largest in the country.
Australia will get the opportunity to return the hospitality shown to Minister MacTiernan in October, when we welcome a Korean delegation to the AusBiotech 2022 conference held in Perth.
AusBiotech, Australia’s flagship biotech industry conference, will be held in Perth this year. It will mark the first face-to-face iteration of this major industry gathering since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, we are glad to again meet with Korean delegates, including the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI), organisers of Korea’s equivalent annual conference BioKorea. KHIDI has led large Korean delegations to AusBiotech for several years, demonstrating the strong interest Korean companies have in collaborating with Australia’s biotech industry. AusBiotech has a long-standing MoU with KHIDI, facilitating a solid platform for further bilateral cooperation for years to come.
AKBC, in collaboration with KHIDI, will be co-hosting a Health and Biotech briefing and networking dinner. With support from Austrade, this event will provide an opportunity for major Australian stakeholders to meet with the Korean delegates and reengage in vital face-to-face discussions. We look forward to welcoming the Korean delegation to Australia – more information on the event can be found here.
Numerous delegations travelling between Australia and Korea signals a return to normal diplomatic activities, as travel restrictions around the world continue to ease. Following the success of our 2022 annual delegation to Korea, we are particularly excited at the prospect of increased travel and will maintain working steadily with our members to place them amongst delegations where appropriate. To all our members interested in visiting Korea at some stage, we recommend checking out our pre-departure cultural training courses to ensure a smooth transition that enables you getting the most out of your Korea experience.
Turning our attention back home, the AKBC were thrilled to recently host meetings for both our Education and Financial Services sub-committees. These meetings are invaluable in shaping our approach to our priority sectors, as our expert sub-committee members are given the opportunity to share the latest insights and developments in their field.
It also provides them with the chance to submit feedback on the Annual Reports we have been drafting in their respective priority sectors. We can expect the completed reports for both Education and Financial Services to be launched at the upcoming Australia-Korea Business Council / Korea-Australia Business Council (KABC) 43rd Joint Meeting.
Taking place in Sydney on the 29th and 30th of November, the AKBC-KABC Annual Joint Meeting is the premier event on the Australia-Korea trade and investment calendar and is widely considered as a must-attend occasion by senior executives working in the Australia-Korea relationship. It provides a singular opportunity to position some of Australia’s major projects and signature programs with decision makers, investors, and businesses from Korea.
There are still numerous speaking and sponsorship opportunities available for this year’s Joint Meeting – please contact Louise Clunies-Ross at lcluniesross@akbc.com.au for more information.
Yours sincerely,
Louise Clunies-Ross
AKBC Executive Director
Please click here to read our full newsletter.