Lee made the remarks during the Korea-Italy Business Roundtable held at a hotel in Rome, responding to a question from reporters about the growing foreign interest in Korean manufacturing technology.
He discussed his company's relationship with Ferrari, one of Italy's leading firms, saying, "We supply displays and are building a battery joint factory with Stellantis through our SDI division." He also met with Benedetto Vigna, CEO of Ferrari, at the event, where they exchanged phone numbers and shared insights.
Earlier, Ryu Jin, chairman of the Korea Economic Association and head of Poongsan Group, remarked in his opening speech, "All roads lead to Rome," expressing his hope that this meeting would pave the way for further collaboration between the two nations' economies.
Ryu emphasized that South Korea and Italy are ideal partners, noting that a robust supply chain collaboration is already in place and that security partnerships in defense are being strengthened.
He added, "It is now time to expand into advanced industries such as artificial intelligence, aerospace, renewable energy, and robotics," highlighting the recent attention on the entry of K-beauty into the Italian market. He expressed optimism for creating global brand power in high fashion and lifestyle sectors.
Ryu also mentioned South Korea's victory over the Czech Republic in the opening match of the World Cup, stating, "Rome has become not only a historic and beautiful city but also a city of fortune for us overnight."
The event was attended by key figures from the Korean side, including Lee Jae-yong, Ryu Jin, Cho Hyun-joon of Hyosung Group, and other leaders from major companies such as Seong Kim of Hyundai Motor, Kim Dong-chun of LG Chem, Choi Soo-yeon of Naver, Moon Jae-young of HD Construction Machinery, and Kim Jong-chul of Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), representing various sectors of advanced strategic industries and manufacturing.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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