Jim Rogers named inter-Korean project adviser for Paju city

US investor Jim Rogers has been named an inter-Korean project cooperation adviser for the city of Paju, Gyeonggi Province, adjacent to the Demilitarized Zone that separates the two Koreas, officials said Monday.

Rogers was tapped to give the city government policy advice on inter-Korean projects and is scheduled to visit the northern border city on Wednesday to sign the related agreement, according to Paju government officials. The officials added that Rogers is expected to contribute to the revival of key inter-Korean projects that have been halted for years, including the cross-border railway, Kaesong industrial park and investments for DMZ tourism.

“Chairman Rogers has agreed to our offer to become the city adviser for inter-Korean projects,” Paju Mayor Choi Jong-hwan said in a statement.

“Through the cooperation, Paju will become an inter-Korean hub for economy, culture, transportation and logistics,” he added.

Rogers told The Korea Herald on the sidelines of the PyeongChang Peace Forum in February that once the two Koreas “open the 38th parallel, this is going to be the most exciting country in the world.”

The 79-year-old investor is a financial commentator based in Singapore. He is currently chairman of Beeland Interests and co-founder of the Quantum Fund.

By Jung Min-kyung (mkjung@heraldcorp.com)