OREGON CONSULAR CORP.


John E. Bates ( Honorary Consul General ) 503-636-0039 503-715-5791 koreanconsulate.pdx@gmail.com [ Contact ] 888 SW 5th Ave. Suite 300, Portland, OR 97204 [ ]

I was officially appointed Honorary Consul General of the Republic of Korea ~ Portland in November of 2008. My original contact with Korea was through Korean students of mine at the time I was teaching at Lewis & Clark College. It was during the years at Lewis & Clark that Dr. Joseph Ha and I became friends, a friendship that lead to his suggestion that I be considered for the appointment.

My "day job" is the principal in Military Lane, LLC, through which I conduct public relations and advisory work. I sit on the board of trustees at Lewis & Clark College, the Oregon Historical Society and the Multnomah County Library Foundation. I have formerly retired from careers in investment banking, college teaching and litigation consulting.

Oregon and Korea enjoy a robust trading relationship. In 2006 Korea was Oregon's third largest export market for goods, including computer and electronics, agricultural crop products, and machinery manufacturing. Recently (2008) Korea is reported to be Oregon's fourth largest importer.(1)

The major exports from Oregon to Korea are high tech products including semiconductors and peripheral equipment. Other major exports are agricultural products and machinery manufacturing.(2)

The Port of Portland is actively engaged with Korea through both the marine facilities and the airport. Hanjin Shipping Company and Hyundai American Shipping Company have operations in Portland, importing, among other goods, Hyundai autos. Portland Airport has a connection to Korea, through Tokyo, on Northwest Air.(3)

Eugene is the home of Hynix Semiconductor, its only North American manufacturing facility. Hynix is the largest for-profit employer in the Eugene-Springfield area.(4)

On the production side, Korea is the world's leading manufacturer of semiconductors, flat-paneled computer and TV screens and ships, as well as the fifth largest producer of automobiles and number six in steel.(5)

Portland has a sister-city relationship with Ulsan, Korea. Ulsan is a major industrial city in south-east Korea.(6)

(1) International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce

(2) Trade in Cyberstates 2008, Published by AeA, Advancing Business of Technology (www.aeanet.org )

(3) Port of Portland Website (portofportland.com )

(4) KORUS FTA Hand out at The Portland Business Alliance on April 17, 2008

(5) The Wall Street Journal, December 5, 2008

(6) Wikipedia

LINKS

Consulate General of the Republic of Korea

Haryong Lee

206-441-1011

206-441-7912

Website:

2033 6th Ave. #1125, Seattle, WA 98121 [

]