Notice of Opportunity To Apply for Membership on the U.S.-Korea Committee on Business Cooperation

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

Notice of Opportunity To Apply for Membership on the U.S.-Korea

Committee on Business Cooperation

SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce is currently seeking interim

applications for membership on the U.S. side of the U.S.-Korea

Committee on Business Cooperation (CBC). The purpose of the CBC is to

facilitate stronger commercial ties between U.S. and Korean private

sector businesses. This is accomplished by undertaking work programs,

reporting on the results, and presenting written recommendations to the

two governments. The CBC is chaired by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce

and the Korean Minister of Commerce, Industry and Energy. Its

activities are coordinated by an equal number of private sector

representatives from the United States and Korea. The CBC held its

second meeting in Seoul, Korea, on March 27, 1999. The work of the CBC

is currently focused through eight sector-specific subgroups: (1)

government procurement, (2) environmental technologies, (3) venture

capital, (4) automobiles, (5) filmed entertainment, (6) electronic

commerce, (7) a business opportunity network on the Internet, and (8)

telecommunications. In particular, the Department is seeking

representatives from the following sectors: electronic commerce,

energy, and biotechnology.

MEMBERSHIP OPPORTUNITY: The CBC charter will expire October 1, 1999,

and may be renewed upon the mutual agreement of the U.S. and Korea.

There are several vacancies on the U.S. side of the CBC. Applications

are now being sought for U.S. private sector members

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to serve beginning immediately and until October 1, 1999. Private

sector members will serve at the discretion of the Secretary. They are

expected to participate fully in defining and implementing CBC work

programs, reporting on the results, and presenting written

recommendations to the two governments. It is expected that private

sector individuals chosen for the CBC will attend at least 75% of CBC

meetings, which are held alternately in the U.S. and Korea. Private

sector members are fully responsible for travel, living and personal

expenses associated with their participation in the CBC. The private

sector members will serve in a representative capacity presenting the

views and interests of the particular business sector in which they

operate, not those of their individual firms. Private sector members

are not special government employees.

Objectives

The goals of the CBC are as follows:

Identifying commercial opportunities, impediments, and

issues of concern to the respective business communities;

Improving the dissemination of appropriate commercial

information on both markets;

Adopting sectoral or project-oriented approaches to expand

business opportunities, addressing specific problems, and making

recommendations to decision-makers where appropriate;

Promoting trade/business development and promotion

programs to assist the respective business communities in accessing

each market, including trade missions, exhibits, seminars, and other

events;

Facilitating appropriate technical cooperation; and

Considering other steps that may be taken to foster growth

and enhance commercial relations.

Membership Criteria

Eligibility criteria. An applicant must be:

a U.S. citizen residing in the United States; and

not a registered foreign agent under the Foreign Agents

Registration Act of 1938 (FARA).

In reviewing eligible applicants, the Commerce Department will

consider:

Expertise in one of the business sectors noted above in

which the CBC will be active;

Readiness to initiate and be responsible for activities in

one or more of the business sectors in which the CBC will be active;

and

Prospective member contributes to membership diversity of

company size, type, location, demographics and/or traditional under-

representation in business.

To be considered for membership, please provide the following: name

and title of the individual requesting consideration; name and address

of the company or organization sponsoring each individual; company's

product or service line; size of the company; export experience and

major markets; a brief statement of why each candidate should be

considered for membership on the CBC; the particular segment of the

business community each candidate would represent; a personal resume;

and a statement signed by the applicant that he or she is a U.S.

citizen residing in the United States and not a registered foreign

agent under FARA. Up to two applicants from the same organization can

be considered.

DEADLINE: In order to receive full consideration, requests must be

received no later than May 25, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Please send your requests for consideration to Philip R.

Agress, Director, Office of Korea and Southeast Asia, U.S. Department

of Commerce, Room 2320, 14th St. and Constitution Ave., NW, Washington,

D.C. 20230, fax (202) 482-0469.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Linda Droker, Director, Korea and

Taiwan Affairs, U.S. Department of Commerce, Room 2036, 14th St. and

Constitution Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 20230, telephone (202) 482-

3876, fax (202) 482-3316.

Authority: 15 U.S.C. 1512.

Dated: May 4, 1999.

Philip Agress,

Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Asia and the Pacific.

[FR Doc. 99-11517 Filed 05-06-99; 8:45 am]

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