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As of May, Cambodia has attracted 147 investment projects, according to Prime Minister Samdech Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet. The Prime Minister has been engaged in a programme of foreign investor engagement to further develop the Kingdom. He addressed a gathering of Cambodians in the Republic of Korea this morning, reiterating his commitment to attracting foreign investment to Cambodia. "As of May, we have attracted a total of 147 investment projects, worth US$2.7 billion, generating 140,000 jobs," he said. At the same time, Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet encouraged all 45,000 Cambodian migrant workers in the Republic of Korea to work hard and contribute their expertise and skills to the national development. The Premier also informed them of the outcome of his four-day visit to Seoul from 15-18 May, and the Royal Government‘s commitment to transform the industrial sector, from light industry to advanced industry. AKP - STPM

Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea (ROK) H.E. Kim Jin Pyo has congratulated Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet on the outcomes of his official visit to the ROK from 15-18 May 2024. In response, Samdech Thipadei, Prime Minister of Cambodia, expressed his gratitude to H.E. Kim Jin Pyo for his warm welcome and thanked the ROK for its contribution to the socio-economic development of Cambodia. He also informed him of the results of the fruitful meetings with the ROK’s President and Prime Minister, particularly on the progress of cooperation in various fields in the common interests of both nations. Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet expressed his appreciation for the promotion of people-to-people exchange and the establishment of direct flights between the two countries, particularly between their major cities and tourist destinations. He also highlighted two initiatives: the establishment of a regular consultation mechanism between the Korean Business Association in Cambodia and government agencies, and the establishment of a special economic zone for Korean investment companies with a special and unique business environment. In terms of economic and trade relations, Samdech Thipadei highlighted that the entry into force of the Korea-Cambodia Free Trade Agreement and the upgrading of relations to a "strategic partnership" will further contribute to the promotion of bilateral relations, trade and investment activities.

Japanese Ambassador to Cambodia H.E. Ueno Atsushi has commended the organisation of elections in Cambodia, whether they are general or non-universal elections. Furthermore, H.E. Ambassador highlighted the importance of peace and stability in Cambodia, two key factors that attract many Japanese firms to invest in the country. According to H.E. Ueno Atsushi, Japan has supported the National Election Committee to establish a national data centre and is committed to further strengthening its cooperation with Cambodia in human resource training in the digital and mine clearance sectors. In response, Samdech Techo Hun Sen confirmed that Cambodia has held regular elections with the participation of various political parties since 1993. He added that Cambodia has never postponed elections, both at the national and sub-national levels. The Senate President thanked Japan for her assistance to Cambodia so far and encouraged further cooperation in the digital sector between the two countries. Samdech Techo Hun Sen and H.E. Ueno Atsushi also discussed regional and international issues, including the situation in Myanmar, the Middle East crisis, the Ukraine-Russia war, and the impact of AI development on global socio-economy. Samdech Techo Hun Sen noted that war is part of the growth of technology, citing examples such as bullets, guns, combat aircrafts, etc. The world will reach its greatest level of global progress if it shifts from using technology for war to using it for the economy.

Raffles Hotel Le Royal, the luxury heritage hotel in Cambodia’s capital, will welcome acclaimed French Chef Stephane Carrade of the 2-Michelin-star Le Skiff Club for a series of exclusive meals later this month. Chef Stephane, whom the MICHELIN Guide describes as a “talented and skilled captain … who combines generosity and finesse,” will serve distinctive dinner and lunch sets at the hotel’s signature fine dining outlet, Restaurant Le Royal, on May 29, 30 and 31. The meals feature an exclusive partnership with Louis XIII, the luxury cognac. The dinner, served from 6:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m., is priced at $98++, while the lunch, served from 12 p.m. until 3 p.m., is priced at $48++, with optional wine pairings and special Louis XIII tasting. Advance reservations are recommended. “Our hotel guests and local residents in Phnom Penh increasingly look to Raffles Hotel Le Royal for some of Cambodia’s most extraordinary fine dining experiences. Chef Stephane, with his two Michelin stars, promises to immerse gourmet diners in an exceptional world of refined flavours,” Raffles Hotel Le Royal General Manager Dennis de Groot said. MICHELIN praises Le Skiff Club’s “delightful ‘progressive terroir’ cuisine,” calling it “a superb celebration of the Aquitaine region of southwest France.” The restaurant is located in a 1930s Basque hotel that was redesigned by Philippe Starck. Chef Stephane is renowned for working with small regional producers to source the highest-quality local fish, herbs and meats, as well as the finest produce. Raffles Hotel Le Royal has elevated fine dining in Phnom Penh over the past year with a series of remarkable culinary experiences featuring guest chefs with Michelin-star backgrounds, including Chef Nicolas Isnard in April, Chef Martin Simolka in March, and Chef Pascal Favre d’Anne, Chef Thierry Drapeau and Vietnam Iron Chef winner Chef Sakal Phoeung last year. For inquiries and reservations for Chef Stephane’s distinctive culinary experience at Raffles Hotel Le Royal, please contact the hotel at Tel: 023 981 888 or email: dining.leroyal@raffles.com. Or visit www.raffles.com/phnom-penh

The National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) and three South Korean financial institutions – JB Bank, Kookmin Bank and Woori Bank – have entered into a cooperation agreement to promote cross-border payments and remittances for migrant workers. H.E. Dr. Chea Serey, Governor of the NBC, signed three separate bilateral Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) on "Cross-Border QR code payment" on the agenda of the Cambodia-Korea Business Forum on 16 May in Seoul, the Republic of Korea, according to a press statement. The signing ceremony was presided over by Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet, Prime Minister of Cambodia, during his official visit to the Republic of Korea from 15 to 18 May 2024. On the occasion, Credit Bureau Cambodia also signed a tripartite MoU with Credit Bureau Korea and JEONBUK Bank on "Cross-Border Credit Report Sharing" between the Kingdom of Cambodia and the Republic of Korea. NBC stated that these MoUs will facilitate tourism business activities and promote cross-border payment transactions, remittances and payments in the national currency, thereby increasing trust, security, efficiency, stability and more environmentally beneficial for the people and businesses of both countries. Additionally, it will also contribute to strengthening the exchange of credit information more effectively and securely.

Sophea KIM, 40, is the founder of “NUON House of Beauty”, a beauty salon specialising in hair removal, located on Rue 222 in Phnom Penh. Step through the gate and across a splendid courtyard filled with beautiful plants, and you'll arrive at this warm, intimate beauty spot where time seems to stand still. Can you introduce yourself in a few words? S.K: My name is Sophea and I'm the founder of Nuon House of Beauty, which opened in 2015. I come from a very poor background, originally from Sihanoukville, I was an orphan at the ASPECA Centre and I was sponsored by a Frenchman. I grew up sharing. How did you learn French? S.K: When I was younger, I used to write letters to my godfather and I was constantly comparing the length of the text between French and Khmer. So, from secondary school onwards, I kept at it and took a bilingual class taught by Cambodian teachers who speak French. I practised speaking, listened to the radio a lot and imitated my godfather's handwriting. What was your academic and professional background? S.K: I studied education at the Faculty of Pedagogy in Phnom Penh, with the help of a grant from the Agence universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF), in French language and Khmer literature. When I finished my studies, I worked in education for 3 years, in particular as a French teacher at the AUF. Then I got the urge to change jobs. Why did you consider changing careers? S.K : I enjoyed teaching, but I wanted to open myself up to something else, so I went into production. Speaking French helped me to find a job quite easily, so I first had the opportunity to meet the team of Rithy Panh, a French-Khmer director, and to work alongside him in the production team from 2007 to 2014, as casting director and assistant director. I've done a lot of things, but I had the idea of opening a Salon mainly because I had girlfriends who worked as make-up artists for films and practised ‘SFX’ techniques, special effects, and I was always impressed by their work. “I had this idea of having my own salon, in particular to change the preconceived idea that the beauty industry is a place where people have little education and are at the bottom of the professional ladder.” So I set up a quality salon, accessible to everyone, and at the same time I continue to write fiction, stories about Cambodia, short films... What does “NUON” mean? S.K: In Khmer, it's the name given to women in poems and songs in the Kingdom of Cambodia. It's a very old word that reflects the elegance of women, and it represents our Salon, which is entirely feminine, both in terms of our team of employees and our clientele. How many people are in your team? S.K: There are five of us in total, including one person who is entirely responsible for the Salon's hygiene, as well as the team's meals. This allows us to regulate our consumption, both for our own health and to avoid wastage. On top of that, we are all constantly being trained in new techniques and hygiene rules. “We grow together like a family, but within a professional framework with rules to apply, while taking care of each other.” How do you work with your partners? S.K: First of all, for waxing and skincare, we work with French brands such as CIRÉPIL and Le Club des Professionnels (CLP), and for hair, we work with an Italian brand, ELGON. So I've had the opportunity to go to France to meet the teams we work with. I'm often in contact with them by videoconference when new products require new training. What's more, we share our training free of charge with women who also offer beauty services in Cambodia. As well as French brands (hair removal) and Italian brands (hair), we also work with the Cambodian brand ‘Bodia’ and try to incorporate Cambodian traditions, in particular by including plants from the Kingdom, while respecting customers' requests in terms of what they want in terms of the product used. What's special about your salon? S.K: It's still a very intimate salon, we have a fairly large public and we want to preserve the moment for our customers without exposing them on social networks so that they can enjoy their experience with us in complete tranquillity. In fact, sometimes customers contact us months in advance and when they're visiting Cambodia, they stop here for our services or our products. “ We put health first and are very attentive and vigilant about the specific needs of our customers’ skin and hair types.” In your opinion, what is the place of hair removal, and aesthetics in general, in Cambodia? S.K: In Cambodia, hair removal is not yet a common practice, which is fortunate for us too, because we are becoming a reference centre for many people. However, we're still a small local team and demand isn't very high yet, but it's happening little by little and we're growing with our customers, who are the ones who recommend us. “We want to grow a bit more, not just for ourselves, but also for Cambodia. It helps to increase Khmer know-how and go beyond that to create relationships with other countries.” A few final words? S.K: I'm proud of myself and my team of employees. We are proud to read positive comments that highlight the beauty services in Cambodia.