KOTRA to organize IKW 2021 through broadcast and online for 3 days, from Nov 3.
Accelerate the establishment of global hub for high-tech industries including semiconductor, bio, and future vehicles through foreign investment
Invest Korea Week 2021, hosted by the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy (MOTIE) and co-organized by Korea Trade Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) and Arirang TV, is to be held through broadcast (Arirang TV) and online (YouTube, Video Consulting) for three days starting from November 3.
The 17th IKW, which has been held since 2006, is Korea’s largest foreign investment attraction IR event. IKW was initiated to provide opportunities for new growth and economic exchange to enterprises at home and abroad in the challenging global business environment due to movement restriction and isolation measures amidst COVID-19.
On the occasion of this event, the attractiveness and opportunities of investment in Korea called a global hub of high-tech industries will be introduced to business people and investors around the world. Competent SMEs and middle-market enterprises will meet with domestic and foreign investors in the high-tech industries such as semiconductor, bio, and future vehicles. Sub-programs include △IKW Forum △K-Startup Spotlight △Online Business Meeting and △Conference with Foreign Press and Foreign Media in Korea.
In the Forum to be held on the first day of the event, President Moon Jae-in, global business leaders, and globally-renowned scholars will be participating to share their insights and thoughts on the change of the global economic landscape and Korea’s innovative growth strategy. Also, they will address why Korea is particularly drawing attention as the best investment destination in the COVID-19 era.
President Moon Jae-in said through a video congratulatory message that “Korea is a promising, sustainable and stable investment destination,” adding “even amid difficulties wrought by COVID-19, foreign investment to Korea recorded second highest in history, including in the areas of K-New Deal, materials, parts, and equipment, and bio-industry.”
He also added that “new and various opportunities to open up the post-COVID-19 era can be found in Korea,” concluding his message by saying, “I expect today, an investment partnership between global business people, investors, and Korea to be strengthened, opening a door of the new era together.”
CEO Simon Segars of ARM Holdings, the world’s largest semiconductor design company, said “bold and innovative plans and policies like the Korean New Deal are great examples of how forward-looking Korea’s approach is to the global economy and its role in the world,“ adding ”significant investment made by the government to develop the K-semiconductor belt at a critical moment for the industry will further grow local and global economic opportunities“.
CEO Belen Garijo of Merck, the world’s oldest chemistry and pharmaceutical company said, “Over the last decade Korea has also powered its way to the forefront of the global biotech industry“, adding ”Korea is in a place to be a leading producer and exporter in vaccines, biology, and diagnosis by 2025.“
In business meetings to be held on November 3-5, 154 global investors in K-New Deal (Digital New Deal, Green New Deal), Bio·Healthcare, Advanced Parts/Materials/Components, and startups, and 227 domestic companies, related organizations, and local governments seeking to attract investment will be participating to explore the new opportunity for innovative growth.
In the business meeting, projects related to regional specialization industries and high-tech industry clusters in which supplying and consuming firms can come together for cooperation will be introduced to investors to encourage global firms to invest in Korea. In addition, the online pitching space is prepared for startups equipped with innovative technologies and products, helping promising domestic startups to scale up.
YU Jeoung Yeol, President and CEO of KOTRA said, “Korea is the best investment destination as a global hub of high-tech industries thanks to tightly integrated supply chain, innovative cluster, an nd world’s best anchor companies,” adding “we will endeavor to turn IKW2010 into a national investment attraction platform providing business people with a venue for exchange and contributing to the completion of the domestic value chain,”
Source : Invest KOREA (November 3, 2021)