The SK Group of South Korea, the third largest conglomerate/chaebol in the country, gifted 10,000 Test Kits to the Embassy of Sri Lanka in the Republic of Korea to be used in Sri Lanka to contain and to control the COVID-19, since a sudden upsurge of COVID-19 cases had taken place. The SK E&S of the SK Group already shipped the Test Kits to Sri Lanka, last week, by air since the Test Kits had to be delivered within a space of 72 hours.

The total cost of the Test Kits was over USD 120,000 and the handing over ceremony took place at the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Seoul. The Vice President of SK E&S of SK Group, Mr. Hyeonseo Ku, handed over the relevant documentation with a billboard of the donation to the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Republic of Korea, Dr. A. Saj U. Mendis, in the presence of senior officials both from the SK Group and the Embassy of Sri Lanka. The Test Kits manufactured in the Republic of Korea are known to be amongst the best and most efficacious in the world. These Test Kits were sent to the Head of National Operation Centre for Prevention of COVID-19, who is the Commander of the Sri Lanka Army and Acting Chief of Defense Staff, General Shavendra Silva. The Commercial Counsellor, Ms. Rekha Mallikarachchi, and Ambassador Dr. Mendis solicited the SK Group to effect the gifting of the aforementioned Test Kits for COVID-19 to be used in Sri Lanka. The President and CEO of SK E&S, Mr. J.J. Yu, and the Board of Directors were receptive to the request made by the Embassy since the Embassy had close official relations with the SK Group.

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The SK Group has the second largest market capitalization in the Republic of Korea and has recorded revenue of nearly USD 220 billion in 2019 as well as employs nearly 100,000 in over 100 countries. The SK Group has stellar global reputation in businesses ranging from chemicals, petroleum, energy, wireless mobile services, financial services, telecommunications, construction, shipping to semi-conductors, amongst others. The SK Group has expressed, unequivocal, interest to construct a mega LNG project in Sri Lanka on Build-Owned-Operate-Transfer (BOOT) at a total cost of USD 600 million. Since Dr. Mendis had a number of meetings with the top most management of the SK Group in this context, the aforementioned LNG project would provide, once completed, 930 MW and would extend semi-skilled and skilled employment to over 1,000 nationals of Sri Lanka. The aforementioned 10,000 Test Kits for COVID-19 were gifted by the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) known as Social Value Unit of the SK Group.

The Republic of Korea,

Seoul

1^st December 2020