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Korean investments in SL have contributed towards promotion of bilateral relations – Ambassador

Korean Ambassador Santhush Woonjin JEONG met with the Secretary General & Chief Executive Officer of Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, Manjula de Silva at the Embassy and discussed ways to promote investment and trade between Korea and Sri Lanka.
The meeting was held on the request of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce in order to promote the upcoming Sri Lanka Investment Forum (SLIF) themed “Sri Lanka- Asia’s Next Growth Haven” which is jointly organised by the Board of Investment (BOI), The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and the Colombo Stock Exchange.
The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce is actively promoting this forum for all potential foreign investors and is planning to visit many of the foreign missions. The Korean Embassy was their first visit to bolster Sri Lanka’s investment opportunities and uplift foreign investment flows. They had a fruitful exchange regarding the promotion of investment opportunities in Sri Lanka to Korean investors, expansion of trade relations, and export development.
The Sri Lanka Investment Forum will commence on June 7, 2021 on a virtual platform and it will be an opportunity to showcase the potential of Sri Lanka as a hub for investment.
De Silva highlighted that Sri Lanka is very keen to attract Korean investments and international joint ventures, along with Korean know-how and technology. As the Republic of Korea plays a leading role in the field of industrialization and technology, it would be favourable for Sri Lanka to attract Korean investments.
Sri Lanka Investment Forum will be the ideal platform to showcase to the world including Korea, that Sri Lanka is the next economic growth haven for strategic investment initiatives and a blend of mega projects given its economic, commercial and investment milieu.
He further elaborated that the forum will attract direct and portfolio investors, including sovereign wealth funds, private equity funds, development finance institutions, multi-national corporations, high networth individuals and all other investor classes from across the globe.
Ambassador Santhush expressed his pleasure regarding such a wonderful initiative which will educate and empower investors and businesses with a comprehensive set of information with respect to Sri Lanka’s FDI and portfolio investment environment.
He added that “it is a very good opportunity for investors worldwide including Korean investors to take a look at the Sri Lankan investment environment”.
He said that he would raise awareness among the Korean investors of this program which will be a bridge in improving trade and investment relations between our two countries. “Korean investments in Sri Lanka have contributed immeasurably to the promotion of bilateral relationship and the elevation of the economies of both countries, he noted.
In early 1990s Korea was the biggest foreign investment partner of Sri Lanka. Today, Korean investors in the ceramic industry, apparel industry etc. play a significant role in developing two-way trade and investment in ways which benefit our countries, the envoy said.
“I encourage Korean investors to explore more opportunities in Sri Lanka especially in sectors such as agriculture, renewable energy, LNG, infrastructure and digital economy. Given the huge opportunities offered by the developing Sri Lankan economy, and the talent of the Korean and Sri Lankan people, the scope for beneficial collaboration is infinite. Sri Lanka is endowed with smart, high quality human resources and affluent natural resources which are complimentary with the state of the art technology and capital available in Korea. This combination creates the perfect synergies for our two countries to further the potential for businesses”, he added.
News
Cop who accepted Rs 3000 bribe nabbed by CIABOC

A police officer attached to the Raddolugama police station who accepted a bribe of Rs 3000/- from a motorist has been nabbed by officers attached to the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) on Monday (14) evening.
It is alleged that the police officer demanded Rs 3000/- from the motorist to return his driving licence without prosecuting him for a traffic offence.
News
GMOA swings into action on Vithana’s disclosure of MPs’ salaries, etc.

The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) has sought an explanation from Parliament regarding how PAYE (Pay As You Earn) is applied to parliamentarians.
GMOA Secretary Dr. Prabath Sugathadasa has written to the Secretary General of Parliament, Kushani Rohanadeera, in terms of the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
Information was sought on 09 July, 2025, in the wake of Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Kalutara district parliamentarian Jagath Vithana posting his pay sheets from January to May this year on his Facebook.
In addition to information on PAYE, the GMOA has posed a number of other questions to the Secretary General regarding the parliamentarians’ salary as well as pensions.
Parliament passed the RTI Act on 24 June, 2016, and it came into effect on 03 February, 2017. This act, introduced through the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, in 2015, is meant to promote transparency and accountability in government.
New controversy has erupted in the wake of Nawa Janatha Peramuna lodging a complaint with the CIABOC seeking an investigation into Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickremaratne abusing public property, a claim denied by the Secretary General of Parliament.
According to Vithana’s May pay sheet, his monthly allowance is Rs. 54,285, entertainment allowance Rs 1,000, telephone allowance Rs 50,000, sitting allowance Rs 5,000, office allowance Rs 100,000, fuel allowance Rs 97,428.92 and transport allowance Rs. 15,000. His take home pay is Rs 317, 760.92 after the deduction of Rs 1,200 for catering, stamp duty Rs. 25 and Advance Personal Income Tax (APIT).
Asked whether he regretted the releasing of pay sheets, lawmaker Vithana told The Island that in the run-up to the last parliamentary elections, held in November 2024, he had promised the Kalutara electorate he wouldn’t draw his salary. The MP said that however, he later felt the salary should be accepted and used in support of public welfare projects undertaken by him. “Therefore, the money was used appropriately,” he said, adding that both the government and Opposition MPs reacted with resentment. “I feel sort of isolated in Parliament. Hardly anyone talks to me,” MP Vithana said.
Dr. Sugathadasa said that having perused the pay sheets posted online, the GMOA had felt the urgent need to seek a clarification from Parliament as the lawmakers appeared to have received special status. The top GMOA official emphasised they wanted to establish the truth and used the RTI law to obtain information regarding the MPs’ salaries, pensions and other related information. “The GMOA made the request on 09 July, 2025. We are confident the Parliament will answer our queries,” Dr. Sugathadasa said.
Parliament meets only eight days a month. Attendance is not compulsory and there is no fixed time for lawmakers to attend sittings. Over the years, sittings have been suspended for lack of quorum.
The Island asked the GMOA official whether they would seek the intervention of the RTI Commission in case the Parliament declined to reveal the information sought by them. Dr. Sugathadasa said that the Executive Committee of the GMOA would decide the course of action if Parliament withheld information.
A few years ago Chamara Sampath, of Wijeya Newspapers, successfully moved the Court of Appeal against the Parliament after the latter refused to disclose names of Members of Parliament (MPs) who had handed over their respective declarations of assets and liabilities in 2018 and list of names of MPs who have handed over their Declarations from 2010 to the time he made the request (21 June, 2018).
The Court on 28 February, 2023, reaffirmed the RTI Commission’s stand that Declarations of Assets and Liabilities Law of 1975 (DALL) didn’t prevail over the Right to Information Act no. 12 of 2016 (RTI Act).
According to the Parliament website, an MP is paid Rs. 54,285, entertainment allowance Rs 1,000, driver’s allowance Rs 3,500 (only if driver is not provided by government). Fuel allowances are paid based on the distance from Parliament to the electoral district which each MP was elected and the approved market price of one litre of diesel on the first day of every month, telephone allowance Rs 50,000, transport allowance for personal staff Rs 10,000, and stamps worth Rs 350,000 issued to each MP annually.
By Shamindra Ferdinando
News
Udaya alleges Prez hasn’t given up efforts to bring in outsider as AG

Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) leader and former Minister Udaya Gammanpila says President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has delayed making a permanent appointment to the post of Auditor General in a bid to bring in an outsider early next year.
Addressing the media yesterday (14), Attorney-at-Law Gammanpila said that three civil society members of the Constitutional Council, who opposed the President’s move, would be completing their term in early January next year. Instead of appointing Dharmapala Gammanpila as the Auditor General, the President had given him only an extension in service so as to get rid of him at the first available opportunity and bring in his crony from the Kelaniya University.
The former lawmaker said that the success of the President’s plan depended on the appointment of pliant civil society members to the CC, ready to help advance the NPP’s agenda.
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