The South Korean government proposed a deal to Florida Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp Wednesday that could launch Florida and Space Coast aerospace technicians into the high-speed rail industry .
Soon-Man Hong, South Koreas deputy minister for Ministry of Land, Transportation and Maritime Affairs, told Kottkamp and others that his country was interested in a partnership that could put aerospace experts to work in high-speed rail research and development, resulting in a transfer of Korean high-speed rail technology to Florida.
The proposal is really a whole new entity: to assist in bringing their new technology here, Kottkamp said.
The meeting, closed to the press, capped off a two-day visit to the state Capitol by the deputy minister and his office. It was facilitated by Global Rail Consortium, which comprises Korean, American and European high-speed rail companies.
We just had a very good discussion, and we talked about the success of [Koreas] high-speed industry, said Cynthia Henderson, a lobbyist helping to move the talks along.
The meeting came at an opportune time for Florida.
President Barack Obama recently announced the abandonment of the nation's manned lunar space flight because of its cost. The dismantling of the program is expected to result in the direct loss of 7,000 jobs held by highly-trained space program engineers.
In January, Florida received a promise of $1.25 billion, half of what it requested, toward a high-speed rail line linking Tampa and Orlando. The line is only the first phase in a proposed project that could also add Miami to the link, although the $1.25 billion would not fully fund even the Tampa to Orlando leg.
Korea was a bidder in 2003 for Florida's proposed high-speed rail line from Tampa to Orlando, but Kottkamp said the Koreans did not announce they were going to bid on the current rail project.
Henderson said the talk with Kottkamp was mainly an information-gathering session for the Korean government. Though South Korea bid on Floridas 2003 project, she said, the project failed as so many others did.
The deputy ministers office was interested in learning whether the state intended to follow through on its new project, she said.
She said the Koreans learned from Chris Hart, director of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development, that the state was pleased to get the high-speed rail, but it still had questions about money that the federal government needed to answer. She said the deputy ministers office was planning to continue discussions with the state as it comes closer to accepting bids on the high-speed rail this summer.
Sen. Thad Altman, R-Melbourne, said the proposal was a good fit for Florida and the Space Coast. Altman, who met with the Korean delegation Wednesday morning, said Florida needs to get involved in manufacturing technology, which is in high demand outside of Florida. And, the high-speed rail industry is a natural extension of the space program.
It is a logical connection, he said.
