Governor Beshear traveling to Asia

FRANKFORT, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) — Governor Andy Beshear is set to depart Friday for a significant trip to Asia, aimed at fostering job development and strengthening economic ties with Japan and South Korea.

Beshear’s itinerary includes meetings with business leaders from 17 companies, such as Toyota, SK Group, and Hitachi, to discuss potential job opportunities and expansions for Kentucky. Thousands of Kentuckians currently work for Japanese and South Korean-owned businesses, highlighting the importance of these international relationships for the state’s economy.

“So the end of this week and next, I’m going to be traveling there and working to bring new jobs to Kentucky, as I meet with 17 individual companies, including Toyota, SK Group, SK On, and Hitachi,” Beshear said.

“Despite a really, really long flight, I’m excited about the opportunity, first to say thank you, to make sure we have close relationships with the decision makers. We also believe we’re going to come back with additional jobs and expansions from this trip,” he added.

Joining Governor Beshear on this trip are Transportation Cabinet Secretary Jim Gray and other members of his executive branch. The delegation aims to build on the existing economic partnerships and attract new investments to the Commonwealth.