Association, R, chats with President Xi Jinping during an event in Beijing, China. (Photo:Kumho-Asiana Group)

Kumho-Asiana Group can boast its steadfast moves to accelerate its China operations since it first entered the country in 1992, when Korea and China opened diplomatic relations. Chairman Park Sam-koo is among the very few Korean business leaders that have close relations with President Xi Jinping of China.

Park has led the Korea-China Friendship Association since 2005, which is at the forefront of promoting civilian diplomacy and economic ties between the two close neighbors. His contribution in the area has been such that he won honorary citizenship from a couple of Chinese cities including Nanjing in Jiangsu Province and Weihai in Shandong Province. He also co-chaired the Korea-China Top CEO Roundtable in Beijing last November.

Park met directly with many top Chinese leaders including former Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao in the course of his job leading the friendship association of the two neighboring nations. He attended the Korea-China Business Forum held for visiting Chinese business leaders, accompanying President Xi and top Korean business leaders, including heads of the four major business associations including Chairman Huh Chang-soo of the Federation of Korean Industries, Chairman Han Duck-soo of the Korea International Trade Association and President Oh Young-ho of the Korea Trade -Investment Promotion Agency, among others.

Kumho-Asiana Group has been expanding its non-business activities in China including the annual Chinese language speech contest for Korean high school students and the Kumho-Asiana Cup Korean language speech contest for Chinese college students. Kumho Tire has plants in four different regions in China, turning out 90 percent of its total annual tire production of 65 million pieces, along with a research center in Tianjin.

Asiana Airlines has the largest number of flights between Korea and China with 31 routes to 23 cities since its maiden flight to Shanghai in 1994.

Both Kumho Tire and Asiana Airlines have been active in social service activities in their host country. Kumho Tire donated a total of 490 million won or 3 million yuan to “The Future Belongs to Children” campaign, dedicated to music lessons for handicapped children.