Economic ties between the Republic of Korea and Clatsop County were recently strengthened as a result of deal brokered by Gov. Ted Kulongoski.
In a ceremony at a Korean air base on June 28, Kulongoski celebrated the delivery of two Warrenton-built aircraft tugs to the Korean Air Force, paving the way for a potentially large order of more tugs from Lektro, Inc., a Warrenton-based company that builds battery-driven vehicles.
"I know the Korean Air Force will find these ingenious, well-built machines to be a welcome addition to its ground facilities, and that Lektro will become a name to depend on for moving aircraft safely, reliably and economically on the ground," said the Governor.
Lektro is one of Clatsop County’s leading employers. The company is also working with the US Navy and the US Air Force toward business deals that could unfold this year or early next year.
"This has been a project I have been working on for over five years," said LEKTRO president Eric Paulson, "The governor had an extremely tight schedule, but if there was any way for him to participate in the receiving of the first two LEKTRO tractors by the Korean Air Force, we wanted to make it happen."
Additional orders from the Koreans could spur Lektro to create more jobs, which would bolster the area’s economy and brighten the future for the people who live there, said Kulongoski.