Already a second meeting between Suyeong-gu District Mayor, Kang Seong-tae, and Ambassador Jančárek continued in the spirit of discussing their wish to bring more Czech culture and art to Suyeong-gu and vice versa. The meeting culminated with the signing of an MOU between the Suyeong-gu District and the Czech Embassy in Seoul, confirming their mutual commitment to realizing these goals and strengthening cultural exchange between the District and the Czech Republic. As a first step in this cooperation, the two sides agreed to install the Václav Havel Bench, an artistic symbol of democracy and openness, in Suyeong-gu.

Busan visit_UNESCO

On the occasion of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee being held in Busan, the Ambassador visited the venue to meet with the Czech delegation, discuss Czech participation and the agenda, and tour the exhibitions held alongside the event, where one could experience the richness of Korean heritage.

Busan visit_City Mayor

Busan visit_City Mayor 2

The Ambassador then paid a visit to the newly elected Mayor of Busan, Chun Jae-soo, to welcome him to the office and establish contact for the upcoming years. They discussed current projects between the Czech Republic and the Republic of Korea, namely the Korea's nuclear power plant deal for Dukovany II, and cooperation in the defense sector between a Czech firearm manufacturer, Colt CZ and a Korean firearm manufacturer SNT Motive. When the Mayor shared plans for a new airport to be build in Busan by 2035, both sides agreed that with the growing business connection between the two countries, many would benefit from a direct flight from Prague to Busan, as an increasing flow of workers is expected to come to or through Busan in the years to come. Regarding the signing of the MOU between the embassy and Suyeong-gu District, the Mayor highlighted Busan's significant role in past democracy movements and noted that installing the Václav Havel Bench corresponds with the city's identity. As a result, he expressed his supports of the MOU, the Václav Havel Bench project, and any other potential future initiatives.

Busan visit_SNT Motiv

Busan visit_SNT Motiv 2

In the afternoon hours, the Ambassador visited the headquarters of SNT Motiv, a prominent Korean firearm manufacturer, where he met with the Managing Director, Youn Byung-joo. During the meeting, the history of SNT Motiv and the background of its collaboration with the Czech counterpart Colt CZ were introduced. The Managing Director shared that while SNT Motiv excels in the machine gun department, Colt CZ is among the world's top producers of pistols and rifles. The collaboration between the two companies begun when the South Korean military sought to replace their aging firearms. Colt CZ provided the technology for the new product and SNT Motiv started manufacturing it in Busan. Such collaboration between the two companies is very significant because it is the first case of industrial cooperation between the Czech Republic and Korea. The last part of the program at SNT Motiv was a tour of the company premises, with a focus on the factory area, which provided an insight into the manufacturing capacity and robotization of the work processes.