WAR mongering by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has not scared off eight south-east Queensland mayors and councillors from visiting South Korea.
The group, including Logan’s Luke Smith, will promote business and investment opportunities to Asia Pacific investors at the Asia Pacific Cities Summit in Daejeon, South Korea this week.
Council of Mayors chairman and lord mayor of Brisbane Graham Quirk said the event was expected to attract more than 1000 delegates from more than 100 cities from across the region and created a platform to promote trade and investment.
“Daejeon is the research and development hub of the Asia Pacific region, home to 100 public and private research institutes, nineteen universities and more than 1300 technology companies,” he said.
“It’s an ideal location to learn, explore and partner with other innovation-minded regions like SEQ.
“The summit is a fantastic springboard for businesses and global cities, and in our case entire regions, to gain entry into the rapidly growing Asia Pacific markets.”
Mayors of Brisbane, Logan, Moreton Bay, Redland, Scenic Rim, Sunshine Coast and Toowoomba and Ipswich City councillor Wayne Wendt will attend from September 10 to September 13.
Cr Quirk said mayors’ attendance was at minimal cost to ratepayers because host city Daejeon had offered complimentary event registration and return flights for the delegation.
The event is the Asia Pacific's premier business and civic forum, providing a platform for governments and businesses to form partnerships, improve city governance and promote trade and investment opportunities.
North Korea’s Kim Jong-un’s aggressive stance over nuclear weapons and long range missiles has prompted Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to tell Australians in north Asia to register with the government’s Smart Traveller website in case an emergency evacuation is needed.
Mr Turnbull said he was confident that US President Donald Trump could handle the North Korean nuclear crisis.
He said the risk of war in Korea was greater than it had been since the Korean ceasefire 64 years ago. The country has detonated its sixth nuclear weapon.