On June 8, Korean Ambassador Hong Jin-wook visited Ismailia governorate and the Suez Canal Authority, as part of a tour that includes Port Said governorate.
During his meeting with the Suez Canal Authority Chairman Admiral/ Osama Rabie, Jin-wook stressed the importance of the Suez Canal, noting that foreign trade accounts for a large share in Korea’s economy for which they rely mainly on maritime transport.
The ambassador said that following the giant vessel grounding in the Suez Canal in March, the Korean government formed an emergency response system to follow up the incident developments.
Jin-wook valued the leadership of President Sisi and Chairman Rabie in quickly resolving the crisis, requesting the continuous support from the SCA to ensure safe navigation for Korean vessels through the Canal in the future.
Admiral Rabie pointed that the Suez Canal is the safest and shortest maritime route in the World with excellent services provided.
He said that after the stranded vessel incident, maritime specialists expected that it will take over three months to normalize navigation in the Canal; however, the SCA managed to normalize quickly the navigation through its people’s active and tireless efforts.
Admiral Rabie pointed to the ongoing expansion plans in the Suez Canal which will help ensure more smooth passage of vessels through the Canal. 
The ambassador commented that Korean companies can play a bigger role to strengthen the competitiveness of the Suez Canal.
He added that cooperation projects including the establishment of a ship yard for ship repair and ship building could be deliverables during the expected visit of the Korean President to Egypt, which was postponed last year due to the Pandemic.
The ambassador also suggested establishing a direct contact line between the Embassy and the Suez Canal Authority for regular communication and strengthening cooperation. Admiral Rabie welcomed the proposal, adding that there are great avenues for cooperation between the two countries related to the Suez Canal.
He also had a meeting with Governor of Ismailia Major/ Sherif Beshara where he emphasized the importance of Ismailia which is home to the Suez Canal.
The ambassador hoped that more Koreans would visit Ismalia. For his part, Governor Beshara said that Ismailia enjoys a special position in Egypt with well-established infrastructure and roads network; expressing hope for more cooperation with Korea in manufacturing and agriculture.
Jin-wook pointed that many Korean companies are successfully operating in Egypt, contributing greatly to Egyptian exports and job creation. He hoped that more Korean companies advance into Ismalia in various fields including ship yard construction and ship repair.
In addition, he suggested expanding cooperation with the governorate through concluding a twinning agreement with a local province in Korea and Ismalia governorate, a proposal which was welcomed by Ismailia Governor Sherif Beshara.
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