Week 568

Thursday, 10.7.2008: Korea Began to Be Interested in Investing in the Silk Sector in Cambodia Which Has Potential

Norbert Klein Leave a comment

The Mirror, Vol. 12, No. 568

“Phnom Penh: Some days ago, Mr. Son Kunthor, advisor to the Royal Government on employment and small scale enterprises, and secretary-general of the One-Village One-Product Movement, met with Mr. Lee Wan-Taek, general director and Mr. Kim Won-Don, director of the Kwangsung International Foundation of the Republic of Korea [all names phonetic].

They have expressed interest to develop the silk sector in Cambodia, because this country has favorable conditions for mulberry tree planting and for silkworm raising, and has enough labor, especially Cambodia can have also markets for silk products. Also, this aims to strengthen cooperation between Cambodia and the Republican of Korea. He added that this project will help to cover the needs for the production of silk products, as now there were between 300 and 400 tonnes imported every year into Cambodia.

“He continued that as the first step to develop the silk sector, about 1,200 hectares of land to plant mulberry trees is needed to encourage people to join to plant mulberry trees as family planting, and the company will ask the Korea International Cooperation Agency – KOICA – to train Cambodian farmers in related techniques. He went on to say that seeds of mulberry trees will be imported from Korea and will be handed to farmers after Korean experts have checked the techniques.

“Mr. Kim Won-Don mentioned the future goal, that as the last step, special buildings to feed the silkworms will be constructed, and to study the silk; it is planned to spend US$4,927,000. He added that according to their estimation, this project will produce 86 tonnes of silk in the first year, 180 tonnes in the second year, and the production will increase continually.

“Mr. Son Kunthor welcomed this important initiative on which the government is focusing, and it is strongly supported, considering that it contributes to reduce poverty among Cambodian people. He added that to implement this project, firstly, it is necessary to find locations or areas that have favorable conditions for mulberry tree planting and for silkworms feeding. A major issue is the shortage of capital of approximately US$1,500 for farmers to plant mulberry tree on one hectare, as well as the construction of special buildings to feed the silkworms, and materials to separate the silk from the silkworm cocoons.

“He continued that he will discuss this project in detail with relevant ministries, because recently, representatives of the Food and Agriculture Organization [FAO] in Rome and of the One-Village One-Product Movement conducted research to evaluate its potentiality, and Cambodia had mentioned the project to ask for technical assistance from FAO to develop the silk sector in Cambodia in four provinces, including Takeo, Kampot, Siem Reap, and Banteay Meanchey.

“Mr. Son Kunthor also mentioned to the Korean side that a Chinese company, Chongqing (New Star) Enterprise Group, promotes the development of mulberry tree planting to feed silkworms in Chumkiri District, Kampot, which is now being organized to be a community of mulberry tree planting to feed silkworms, under the leadership of Mr. Nim Chandara, an undersecretary of state of the Ministry Foreign Affairs and International Relations.

“He went on to say that an employment and small-scale enterprise organization, and the committee to encourage the One-Village One-Product Movement, together with the Kwangsung International Foundation [?] will further study this project carefully.” Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.16, #4637, 10.7.2008

Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Thursday, 10 July 2008


Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.7, #1689, 10.7.2008

  • UNESCO Listed Twenty Seven New Places as World Heritage Sites
  • The King Called Compatriots [on 9 July 2008] to Continue to Preserve Forests and to Plant Trees as Much as Possible
  • Forestry Chief Does Not Dare to Explain Forest Crimes at Prasat Sambour [Kompong Thom] on the Pretext that There Is No Order for It
  • G8 Leaders Agree to Reduce Emissions that Lead to Global Warming to Half by 2050


Khmer Machas Srok, Vol.2, #195, 10.7.2008

  • [Cambodian People’s Party official and Minister of Rural Development] Ly Thuch Acknowledged His Wrongdoing [of using money to buy citizens’ mind to vote for the Cambodian People’s Party] and Agreed to Compensate Riel 5,000,000 [approx. US$1,200] to the Plaintiff [Mr. Heng Chanthuon, Sam Rainsy Party President in Pursat]


Khmer Sthapana, Vol.1, #45, 10.7.2008

  • [Opposition Party president] Mr. Sam Rainsy Went to Give Explanations to the Municipal Court over Mr. Hor Namhong’s Lawsuit [without being summoned]
  • Some Investors Wait to See the Political Situation after the Election


Koh Santepheap, Vol.41, #6393, 10.7.2008

  • Price of Oil Dropped to Around US$136 per Barrel [on 8 July 2008]


Moneaksekar Khmer, Vol.15, #3508, 10.7.2008

  • Corrupt Officials and IMF Have Different Evaluations about the Economic Growth in 2008 [according to Minister of Commerce Cham Prasidh, he expects that the Cambodian economy will increase from 8% to 9%, while the IMF predicts that it would decline to 7%]


Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.16, #4637, 10.7.2008

  • Korea Began to Be Interested in Investing in the Silk Sector in Cambodia Which Has Potential
  • UNESCO: The Listing of the Preah Vihear Temple Is a Historical Success and It Is a Symbol of the Cambodian Government
  • Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia Keep Ms. Ieng Thirith in Detention [former Khmer Rouge leader]
  • Cuba Is Still a Target Country for Cambodian Students to Seek Education [eight Cambodian students won scholarship to study there]
  • [Thai Prime Minister] Mr. Samak’s Party Might Be Dissolved after the Supreme Court Has Sentenced Former House of Parliament Speaker Yongyuth Tiyapairat [for vote buying – Thailand]


Samleng Yuvachun Khmer, Vol.15, #3355, 10.7.2008

  • Asian Human Rights Watch is Concerned about the Whereabouts of Tim Sakhan [who had been defrocked on accusation of having perpetrated an offense against the Buddhist law, because he was accused to have destroyed the harmony between Vietnam and Cambodia] after He Had Been Released from Yuon [Vietnamese] Prison

Have a look at the last editorial – Without freedom of information AND an active use of this freedom, emotions can easily lead to dangerous misunderstandings.

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