Brazilian ambassador hosts Porto & Mar delegation in South Korea

The Han River, which runs through South Korea and is a model of environmental cleanup, was the backdrop for the opening dinner of the International Mission Porto & Mar Brazil – South Korea 2024, organized by Grupo Tribuna and running until Friday. The delegation, composed of businessmen and officials, began immersing themselves in South Korean culture yesterday.

Brazil's ambassador to the Asian country, Márcia Donner Abreu, welcomed the brazilians and noted that South Korea has overcome extreme poverty in 60 years and is currently one of the world's most developed economies.

She cited three pillars: state planning at the beginning of the process and ongoing government incentives for technological development; openness to international trade, as the only land border is closed with North Korea; and modernization of ports.

"South Korea is a prodigy of economic and technological development", said Márcia. "I am very happy to have this group here; I am sure it will be a week of great learning for everyone", she added.

Technology and Labor

Accompanying the Grupo Tribuna delegation, Ricardo Martins, vice-president of Hyundai Motors in Brazil, outlined some points that brazilians will better understand during the mission. "Regulatory actions at South Korea's ports, such as laws that encourage more investment, enable the industrial park to benefit from technology for greater competitiveness".

A visit to Hyundai, born in South Korea, is on the mission agenda. Martins explains that the company deals with changes in the labor market, aiming, like other companies, to reduce costs and increase efficiency. "The issue of job losses does not exist. What exists is professional requalification", Martins explained.

Douglas Alencar Rodrigues, a minister of the Superior Labor Court (TST) participating in the Porto & Mar mission, highlighted the ongoing labor market transition worldwide. "Technology is an irreversible process, with increasingly intensive use of machines. This requires workers to have specialized qualifications to operate in the technological segment".

Expectations

Participants in the trip are eager for the knowledge they will absorb and bring back to Brazil. Marcos Clemente Santini, CEO of A Tribuna newspaper, highlighted the technical agenda of the mission, which every year aims to take participants to places steeped in innovation. "The trip will be very productive; I believe it will be a success".

Roberto Clemente Santini, CEO of TV Tribuna, noted the organization and preparation in South Korean education. "The transformation is impressive. A country that was underdeveloped not long ago is now a powerhouse. This shows that projects developed here can serve as a reference for Brazil, especially for the Port of Santos".

Maxwell Rodrigues, consultant for Port Affairs at Tribuna Group, emphasizes that the port-industry relationship will be highlighted on the agenda. "It's important for Brazil to look at long-term planning. Industry near the port will generate many opportunities. We will understand in South Korea how they transformed this relationship in such a short time".

Bringing to Brazil

For Cláudio Oliveira, commercial director of BTP, all the knowledge gained from more advanced ports, especially in technology, is crucial. "We are entering a new phase, with electric equipment ready to be operated remotely (in brazilian terminals). South Korea is already heavily involved in this. Here, we will see all the technology that we can bring to our terminals".

Erick Aeck, executive director of Van Oord Brazil, finds this exchange of knowledge essential. "We have much to learn from South Korea. Public-private partnerships have greatly helped the country's development".

Bruno Stupello, operations director of Port Terminals at Santos Brasil, recalls that the Asian country prioritizes technology. "Being here, visiting terminals and seeing how these technologies are applied will bring a lot of know-how to take back to Brazil".

Washington Flores, president of Bandeirantes Deicmar, notes that in the 1970s, Brazil was more developed than South Korea, which has now become a superpower. "They have shown that it is possible to bring knowledge for the benefit of the country. We need to understand what worked and try to apply it in Brazil".