British diplomat tours North East and Tees Valley
Colin Crooks, the UK’s ambassador to South Korea, was dispatched to the North East and Tees Valley as part of a new nationwide foreign office roadshow aimed at driving economic growth across the UK by strengthening global connections.
The roadshow, launched by Foreign Secretary David Lammy, will see more than 15 diplomats tour the UK to build relationships with regional mayors and businesses.
Mr Lammy said: “The North East and Tees Valley combined authorities have a strong connection to South Korea but there’s so much more we can do to boost trade and investment.
“I am sending my ambassador to work directly with local businesses to build connections so they can harness their expertise and effectively champion the interests of the North East and Tees Valley most effectively.
“This nationwide roadshow is one of the ways I am ensuring the economic interests of British businesses sit at the heart of our foreign policy as we deliver on our plan for change.”
Ambassador Crooks began his visit in Morpeth with a breakfast meeting at County Hall with North East Mayor Kim McGuinness.
He then toured the Port of Tyne and met chief financial officer Mark Stoner before travelling to Tees Valley for meetings with Tees Valley cabinet member councillor Alec Brown and SeAH Wind chief executive Chris Sohn.
Ambassador Crooks said: “It’s exciting to be in the North East and Tees Valley as part of this first-of-its-kind roadshow – going the extra mile to develop relationships that will help us supercharge growth to every corner of the UK.
“We’re hitting the road to speak directly to community leaders and businesses, so that not a single opportunity is missed to generate trade and investment wins overseas.
“The UK Government’s Plan for Change is making Britain the best country to do business with, and I am looking forward to building on today’s roadshow discussions to showcase the North East and Tees Valley on the international stage.”
South Korea is now the UK’s 25th largest trading partner, with total trade reaching £15.4 billion in 2024.
The North East and Tees Valley have already benefited from significant South Korean investment, including SeAH Wind’s £900 million offshore wind monopile factory in Teesside.
Kim McGuinness, North East Mayor, said: “My goal is to make the North East the home of the green energy revolution and in the last few months we’ve seen companies like LS Eco Advanced Cables show their confidence in the North East – we’re a thriving region and a great place to do business.
“I’m delighted to welcome Ambassador Crooks to the region to discuss the North East’s potential for further growth and investment.”
Councillor Alec Brown, leader of Redcar and Cleveland Council and Tees Valley Combined Authority cabinet member, said: “We are delighted to be chosen as first location to welcome this roadshow and to have the opportunity to highlight the global-scale projects moving forward in Redcar and Cleveland and across Tees Valley.
“Our region is now at the forefront of developing the industries of the future.
“We are attracting international investors and our work with outstanding South Korean businesses such as SeAH Wind and Hanmi Global is a fantastic example of how we are successfully working with global partners to bring major benefits to our region and the UK.”