Business
Winners of Korean language speech contest felicitated
On January 21 ambassador Santhush Woonjin Jeong had the pleasure to meet the winners of the Korean language speech contest and felicitate them at the Korean embassy. The ambassador offered congratulations to the winners and expressed his appreciation for their excellent skills in speaking Korean.
Due to the prevailing pandemic, the Korean language speech contest was held online last December as an event of “Korea Week”. The embassy of the Republic of Korea in Sri Lanka in collaboration with the Kandy King Sejong Institute Center successfully organized the Korean language speech contest and awards ceremony on a virtual platform.
On this occasion, the ambassador conveyed his deep appreciation for all the participants and the organizers of the Korean speech contest for their interest and commitment to further Korea- Sri Lanka ties amid the pandemic. “I believe that you are the bridge which connects Korea and Sri Lanka. Your interest and dedication to learn the Korean language is an example of our strong ties which have transcended national borders”.
The ambassador further stated that the year 2021 is a significant year for Korea-Sri Lanka bilateral relations. “From 2021, the Korean language is officially adopted as a foreign language for advanced level curriculum by the Ministry of Education in Sri Lanka. It will be a leap forward to elevate our cultural bilateral relations”. Further more the ambassador expressed the unwavering support and assistance of the government of Korea in the expansion of Korean-language education in Sri Lanka. Last year people to people exchanges were blocked by the pandemic, however the establishment of the King Sejong Institute has provided a great opportunity for the Sri Lankan public to learn and familiarize themselves with the Korean language and culture.
The Ambassador revealed that despite the differences of our two cultures we are united by the mutual respect and love shown to each other’s culture and language. He stated that “more Sri Lankan youth should be encouraged to learn the Korean language and become important assets to promote Korea-Sri Lanka friendship. I hope that friends from all walks of life in Sri Lanka will continue to work together to take our bilateral relations to another level and create a brighter future for our two countries. It is our strong belief that the student exchanges and cultural relations will keep strengthening and therefore will continue to make a greater contribution to consolidate our ties”.
The Ambassador elaborated that learning the Korean language would open the window to many job opportunities in Korea. The Korean government policy of “equal pay for equal work” has further elevated the engagement in labour cooperation in recent years. About 23,000 Sri Lankan employees are presently in Korea. Around 520 million US dollars were transmitted by them from Korea to Sri Lanka in 2019. The migrant workers bridge both countries in more ways than one, as they continue to contribute to the economic advancement of Korea and Sri Lanka.
The Ambassador also mentioned that the public health authorities in Sri Lanka have effectively implemented measures to battle Covid-19 here in Sri Lanka. Likewise the Korean authorities have taken aggressive anti-coronavirus efforts to combat and contain the pandemic. Many Sri Lankan workers live safely in Korea.
The Ambassador briefly touched upon the economic cooperation between Korean and Sri Lanka. He stated that “Korea is thankful to the international society including Sri Lanka for the support extended to Korea in the past. Now the time has come for Korea to repay by assisting Sri Lanka to achieve its development objectives. As a true friend, Korea would like to share the technological know-how and resources to help Sri Lanka achieve the so called Miracle on Kelani River like the Miracle on Han River”.
The Korean speech contest has successfully contributed to deepening the cultural ties between the two countries by providing recognition for the Sri Lankan youth who embark upon a new journey to broaden their future possibilities by learning Korean. The Korean Embassy will deepen and strengthen the Korea- Sri Lanka friendship in 2021 as well.
The following students of the Korean Speech Contest were awarded prizes by His Excellency Santhush Woonjin JEONG at the awards ceremony. Kulara Wickramarachchi, a medical student won the first place. Her parents received her award on her behalf. Dhananjaya Jayasinghe and Thanushi Rajapakse won the second place for their fluent Korean linguistic skills. The third award winners were Aheesha Dilshani Jabir and Gimhani Dikkumbura. All award winners were presented certificates and prizes in the presence of their parents. Moreover they had the opportunity to exchange pleasantries with the Ambassador. They suggested that since there are numerous Sri Lankans who are keen to learn Korean, the establishment of more Korean language institutes will greatly benefit them.
Business
Business, economic heavyweights converge in Colombo
Senior business leaders, economists and international development experts, alongside the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, will headline the Sri Lanka Economic & Investment Summit 2026, organised by The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce on 12 and 13 October at the Shangri-La Colombo.
The Summit will open with a keynote address by T. Krishnakumar, Chief Executive Officer, Reliance Consumer Products Ltd, who brings more than four decades of experience in the consumer brands and FMCG sectors. Having previously served as President of Coca-Cola India and Southwest Asia, with extensive experience in building businesses and driving growth across emerging markets, Krishnakumar, more popularly known as Kk, now leads Reliance Consumer Products as it expands across categories and builds new customer, partnership and market opportunities.
Day 2 will bring together four international perspectives across discussions on economic resilience, regional connectivity, sector growth and digital transformation.
Lilia Aleksanyan, Senior Country Economist for Sri Lanka at the Asian Development Bank, will open the day’s discussions with a focus on Sri Lanka’s economic resilience. Her work covers the country’s macroeconomic outlook, policy advice and macro-fiscal and financial-sector reform. Her international policy experience also includes roles at the French Ministry of Finance and the French Central Bank.
The Summit will then turn to Sri Lanka’s connections with regional markets, with P. D. Singh, Chief Executive Officer, India & South Asia, Standard Chartered Bank, delivering the keynote for the session on trade corridors and value chains. Singh counts close to three decades of experience in banking and finance, with senior leadership roles spanning Standard Chartered, JPMorgan Chase Bank and HSBC.
The Sector Deep Dives will bring international perspectives to discussions on healthcare and energy.
Tushar Shroff, Chief Financial Officer, Zydus Lifesciences Ltd, will deliver the keynote for the healthcare discussion, drawing on more than three decades of experience in corporate finance, strategic investment and financial transformation. His career spans senior finance and leadership roles with ABB, Piramal Healthcare, Intas Pharmaceuticals and Vedanta Group, giving him a broad perspective on the business and investment decisions shaping the healthcare sector.
For the energy-focused deep dive, Edore Onomakpome, Regional Infrastructure Industry Manager for Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal at the International Finance Corporation, will bring extensive experience in infrastructure investment and project finance across emerging markets. Since joining IFC in 2013, she has held senior roles across Africa and South Asia, including managing IFC’s infrastructure portfolio across 16 countries.
The Summit will conclude its keynote programme with Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, who will deliver the keynote for “Nation Building in the Digital Age.” The Prime Minister also oversees the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, bringing a direct policy perspective to discussions on digital transformation, innovation, education and the skills needed for a changing economy.
Together, these perspectives will bring regional, international and policy insight to SLEIS 2026 as Sri Lanka considers how to strengthen economic resilience, attract investment, deepen regional connections and develop new sources of growth.
Held under the theme “Positioning Sri Lanka in a Changing Global Economy: Resilience, Reform, and the Future of Economic Policy,” SLEIS 2026 will take place on 12 and 13 October 2026 at the Shangri-La Colombo.
The Sri Lanka Economic & Investment Summit 2026 is supported by its valued sponsors and partners. Platinum Sponsor – Standard Chartered Bank Sri Lanka, Gold Sponsor – VISA Worldwide (Pvt) Ltd., Bronze Sponsor – South Asia Gateway Terminals (Pvt) Ltd., Strategic Development Partner – Asian Development Bank, Telecommunication Partner – Dialog Telecommunication, Television Partner – Dialog Television, Session Sponsors – David Pieris Motor Company (Pvt) Ltd., Hemas Holdings PLC, Sunshine Holdings PLC, International Construction Consortium (Pvt) Ltd., Microsoft Sri Lanka (Pvt) Limited, Official Logistics Partner – Hayleys Advantis Limited, Official Airline – SriLankan Airlines Ltd., Official Hospitality Partner – Shangri-La Colombo, Airline Partner – China Eastern Air Holding Co. Ltd.
Registrations for SLEIS 2026 are now closed. The Ceylon Chamber looks forward to welcoming participants to the discussions on Sri Lanka’s future trajectory on 12 and 13 October.
Business
Commercial Bank launches ‘Prestige’ banking for HNW clients
Commercial Bank of Ceylon has launched ‘Prestige’, a three-tier banking proposition aimed at high-net-worth (HNW) clients, combining wealth management, advisory services and lifestyle benefits.
The initiative replaces the bank’s existing ‘Elite’ private banking brand with Ruby, Sapphire and Diamond tiers, designed to cater to customers according to their wealth profiles and banking relationships.
The bank said Prestige would provide dedicated relationship managers, priority branch services, preferential rates on loans and deposits, enhanced card privileges, family banking programmes and offshore account solutions.
Its wealth and investment management services include access to capital-protected income solutions, dual-currency investments, institutional deals and estate and portfolio governance.
Clients will also have access to specialist financial and corporate advisory services, including assistance with international relocation, overseas property and capital repatriation.
The programme includes lifestyle benefits such as VIP airport lounge access, travel concierge services, property management and medical coordination, as well as access to selected art and culinary events.
The bank said its flagship Prestige banking residence at R.G. Senanayake Mawatha, Colombo 07, had been refurbished, with the service to be extended to other economically important cities.
Commercial Bank Managing Director/CEO Sanath Manatunge said Prestige was intended to support customers in managing their wealth, business interests, family needs and long-term legacy.
Existing Elite clients are being transitioned to the new programme, the bank said.
Business
Ceylinco Life rewards 80 sales achievers with overseas tours
Ceylinco Life has rewarded 80 members of its sales force with overseas tours to Vietnam and China for their outstanding performance in the company’s 2025 sales competitions.
The group comprised 62 sales achievers who travelled to Vietnam and 18 who visited China.
The Vietnam tour included visits to Hanoi’s Ho Chi Minh Complex, One Pillar Pagoda, Tran Quoc Pagoda and Hoan Kiem Lake. The group also travelled to Ha Long Bay, where they went on an Aurora Cruise and explored attractions including Sung Sot Cave, Luun Cave and Titop Island.
The tour also featured a sunset party aboard the cruise, with music and refreshments.
The 18 achievers who travelled to China visited several of Beijing’s major historical and cultural attractions, including Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace. They also took a boat ride on Kunming Lake.
A highlight of the China tour was a visit to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall, including a round-trip cable car ride. The group also attended an acrobatic show at Chaoyang Theatre and visited the Panda Garden at Beijing Zoo.
The company said the tours were organised to recognise and reward sales personnel for their performance and achievements.
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