Mayor Sata calls for Korea support

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Mayor Sata calls for Korea support

Lusaka, July 3, 2014, ZANIS– Lusaka Mayor Mulenga Sata has appealed for support and strengthened ties in science and technology programs between South Korea and Zambia.

The Mayor was speaking when he featured on an exclusive interview at YTN Science television in Seoul, South Korea.

This is according to a statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka today by Lusaka City Council Acting Public Relations Manager Habeenzu Mulunda. 

Councillor Sata said South Korea has shown over the decades that it was one of the up coming powerhouses in information technology, hence Zambia would benefit a great deal if strong relationships were to be promoted especially in science and technology.

Councillor Sata said Zambia was already enjoying good bilateral and economic relations with South Korea and hoped that the two countries would widen areas of cooperation in trade, natural resource development, agriculture as well as science and technology.

“South Korea has developed quite fast over the past decade this is all because of the serious investment the country has made in science and technology. As a country, Zambia would benefit a great deal if we can partner with countries like South Korea in exchange of science content especially in schools, colleges and universities,” he said.

Councillor Sata further indicated that Lusaka City Council had great passion for the grass root and that the council was in the process of revamping the community halls in all the constituencies for the purpose of supporting and implementing educational as well as developmental programs.

“With the support of YTN Science television we would like to introduce and extend this program to community centers because as you may be aware most of our people are not exposed to science and technology, so we would want this program to be rolled out to the townships and peri-urban areas. And in this regard we will bank on continued support and cooperation from the Korean government through the YTN Science television and to expedite this relationship I offer myself as an ambassador for YTN in Zambia,” he said.

Councillor Sata pledged to rekindle the already established relationship between YTN Science television with the Zambian media oraganisations for the purpose of promoting science and technology through television programs.

“I am aware that YTN Science television screw visited Zambia in 2012 and established the relationship with our national broadcaster Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC), all we need is to rekindle the relations. We also need to involve other television stations such as Muvi TV, TBN, Prime TV and Mobi in airing these science programs so that we can capture a wide audience,” he said.

And YTN Science President Dr. Heelim Ryu assured the Mayor that the station would be readily available to provide science content to the Zambian community as the country was striving to develop young scientists.

Dr. Ryu said YTN Science television had a lot of programs which have already been translated from Korean into English and they were available for sharing.

Dr. Ryu reiterated the need to continue promoting the relationship between the Zambian media and YTN Science in order to have a consistent following of programs.

“Our television station is ready to help in which ever way you want, all we need to know is what content does your country want so that we can prepare something which of help and interest to your nation,” he said.

Meanwhile, earlier the mayor toured the Land and Housing (LH) Corporation Limited, the company which has been entrusted by the Korean government to build the New Wiyre City District.

LH Corporation is engaged in urban land use planning and development, consultancy as well as project management and feasibility studies for the government.

Speaking during the tour of the corporation LH Director Mr. SooHong Park said the corporation has approved a development plan up to 2017 and has embarked on constructing 43, 580 households.

“The corporation has been undertaking government projects since 1960 and it has done a lot of consultancy in housing development as well as financing and buidling most of the houses within Korea,” he said.

Mr. Park said LH Corporation had a lot of experience in housing projects and that it has undertaken such projects in other countries like Tanzania, Indonesia, China and Vietinum.

Mr. Park further informed the Mayor that if there was any need of help in housing LH Corporation was readily available to offer such advise.

And Councilor Sata noted that although Zambia and South Korea shared similar historical background it was gratifying to see how Korea has developed in all the sectors in a few years.

Councilor Sata said Lusaka City Council would take advantage of the newly opened embassy in South Korea to promote exchange programs so that such developmental plans can be replicated not only in Lusaka but Zambia at large.

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