發布日期:2023-01-29 18:40:32
Thousands of Ukrainian citizens hold a rally in Kyiv, Saturday, to show their willingness to stand together against the threat from Russia. Reuters-Yonhap
All Korean businesspeople asked to finish evacuation by Tuesday
By Park Jae-hyuk
Samsung, LG and other Korean companies doing business in Ukraine will not halt their operations in the Eastern European country, as local employees will keep on working, even after the evacuation of Korean managers, the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) said Tuesday.
"Most Korean firms operating in Ukraine hired local employees," a KOTRA spokesman said in response to an email sent by The Korea Times to the agency's office in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv. "The government has put in place travel ban in all parts of Ukraine, so all Korean nationals should leave the country as soon as possible. However, Korean companies will not close their subsidiaries and offices there, because local employees will manage their workplaces."
Last Friday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that all Korean nationals would be prohibited from traveling in all parts of Ukraine starting last Sunday. The travel ban took effect after foreign news outlets reported that U.S. President Joe Biden told leaders of the European Union that Russia could invade Ukraine on Wednesday this week.
Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics recently finished pulling their Korean employees out of Ukraine, following the evacuation of their families. Some of the employees were relocated to countries neighboring Ukraine. Other Korean firms in Ukraine, such as POSCO International, Hyundai Corporation and Hankook Tire & Technology, plan to take similar measures.
Until last month, the Korean conglomerates remained hesitant of taking emergency measures in accordance with their contingency plans, as there has yet to be any physical conflict, despite the escalating tensions.
"As far as our Kyiv office knows, there are 13 Korean firms in Ukraine, including 10 conglomerate affiliates, one local subsidiary of a medium-sized company and two small businesses. Korean residents running their own businesses in Ukraine are under the oversight of the embassy," the KOTRA spokesman said. "All 13 Korean firms under our supervision will finish the evacuation of their Korean employees by Tuesday."
Once the Korean companies finish withdrawing their Korean workers from Ukraine, KOTRA will immediately evacuate its employees there, including the head of its Kyiv office.
"The Kyiv office head will move to the Polish capital of Warsaw and work at an interim office there," the spokesman said.
The agency will also play a key role for the government to set up a hotline to contact Korean businesspeople in Ukraine, according to a government taskforce in charge of coping with the crisis.
The taskforce led by Vice Finance Minister Lee Eog-weon said in Tuesday's meeting that the government has come up with plans to protect the safety of Korean businesspeople there, providing them with various transportation options in case of emergency.
"If the geopolitical tensions escalate further, the entire Korean economy could face negative effects, caused by a setback in the supply of raw materials, limited macroeconomic improvement and increased uncertainty in the financial market," the taskforce said in a press release.
President Moon Jae-in also ordered the Cabinet on Monday to take all possible measures against the Ukraine crisis and brace for the worst-case scenario.