SEOUL, April 11 (UPI) -- South Korea, despite threats from North Korea, remains a safe place for investments, President Park Geun-hye told foreign business leaders Thursday.
"Currently, the Republic of Korea is getting itself thoroughly prepared based on a strong military deterrence while working closely with the international community, including the United States and China," Park said during a lunch meeting with the foreign business leaders, the Yonhap News Agency reported.
Noting that her country has built one of the world's strongest economies despite similar security crises in the past, she said: "I say confidently that we will create a stable environment so that you can make investments and do business without any concern."
Park was accompanied by officials including her National Security Office chief Kim Jang-soo and senior presidential foreign affairs secretary Ju Chul-ki, the report said. The guests included representatives from the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea, and firms such as eBay, Google, Citi Bank, BASF and Siemens.
The event comes in the wake of North Korea's warning that foreigners in South Korea should be ready with evacuation plans because the Korean Peninsula is "inching close to a thermonuclear war."
There have been concerns that the North's provocations could scare off foreign investors from South Korea at a time when Park's government is trying to boost economic growth. The concerns included a ballistic missile test at any time by the North.