The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR, Minister Kim Jung-kwan) announced that it is hosting the Invest KOREA Summit (IKS), Korea’s largest foreign investment promotion event, from October 30 to 31 at the Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas.
This year’s summit, held in conjunction with the APEC CEO Summit in Gyeongju, marks the largest IKS to date. The event features an investment declaration and R&D center designation ceremony, the Invest KOREA Conference, advanced industry seminars, startup pitching sessions, and a financial investor forum. More than 2,000 participants—including foreign investors, representatives from 300 international media outlets, leading Korean and global companies, foreign chambers of commerce, embassies, and government and local officials—are expected to attend.
In his congratulatory remarks at the opening session of the Invest KOREA Conference, Vice Minister Moon Shin-hak emphasized that “Korea is one of the most attractive destinations for global investors, and foreign investment has been a key driver of Korea’s industrial competitiveness.” He added, “Despite global economic uncertainty, Korea will continue to strengthen advanced industry competitiveness, diversify export markets, and enhance foreign investment support systems to ensure the country remains a global business hub.”
Under the theme “AI Innovation Partner, KOREA,” this year’s IKS focuses on promoting global investment in Korea’s AI ecosystem, aligning with the government’s goal of positioning the nation among the world’s top three AI powerhouses. At the conference, Kim Yu-won, CEO of NAVER Cloud, and Baek Joon-ho, CEO of FuriosaAI, delivered keynote speeches on Sovereign AI technology development and next-generation AI innovation. Experts at the event also discussed how AI is reshaping industrial structures and investment trends, highlighting strategies to attract global investment—such as improving Korea’s investment environment and leveraging supply chains—to strengthen leadership in the AI ecosystem.
During the summit, seven global companies in sectors such as semiconductors, future mobility, offshore wind power, advanced materials, and K-culture-related content and food participated in an investment declaration ceremony totaling USD 550 million. Combined with the USD 9 billion in investment plans announced the previous day in Gyeongju under the “Global Corporate Investment Partnership,” this marks the largest-ever foreign investment commitments secured through the IKS.
Key Highlights and Participating Companies in the Investment Declaration Ceremony on October 30
(Offshore Wind) 1. Ocean Winds (Spain): A leading global developer and operator of offshore wind power, planning to establish a floating offshore wind farm in Ulsan and expand cooperation across Korea’s offshore wind supply chain.
(Semiconductors) 2. Tokyo Electron (Japan): A global leader in semiconductor and display manufacturing equipment, expected to help strengthen Korea’s semiconductor equipment supply chain.
(Future Mobility) 3. Valeo (France): A leading company specializing in advanced autonomous driving sensors and perception systems, expanding its production facilities and research centers in Korea for autonomous systems while continuing investment in air-conditioning systems, battery modules, and other related areas.
(Advanced Materials) 4. BASF (Germany): The world’s largest chemical company, expanding specialty chemical production facilities in Yeosu, Jeollanam-do.
(Advanced Materials) 5. Mitsui Chemicals (Japan): One of Japan’s three major chemical companies, enhancing technological cooperation with Korean partners to establish next-generation supply chains.
(Content) 6. HAPPYTUK (Taiwan): A PC and mobile game publisher and operator, establishing a new AI R&D center for game development in Korea to create synergies with the Korean gaming and content industries.
(Food) 7. Agrana (Austria): A global leader in fruit processing and concentration, expected to contribute to the globalization of Korean food by sourcing Korean agricultural products through the creation of a new food cluster.
The ceremony also included the designation of three new foreign-invested R&D centers established by Lam Research Korea Technology Center, HP Printing Korea, and Corning. These centers represent leading global companies in next-generation semiconductor equipment, semiconductor and display materials, and AI solutions. They are expected to strengthen Korea’s advanced industry capabilities and contribute to building a stable supply chain through collaborative research and development with Korean companies.
In addition, the event featured seminars on advanced industries such as semiconductors, biotechnology, and AI to promote Korea’s technological competitiveness and investment advantages. It also included one-on-one pinpoint meetings connecting domestic startups with global investors and venture capital firms to expand opportunities for foreign investment, as well as a financial investment forum introducing Korea’s growth policies and investment opportunities to about 50 institutions—including global sovereign wealth funds, major pension funds, and Korean asset management companies—to attract large-scale projects