The Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) held the '2026 Inside Honda' showcase and consultation event on October 15 at Honda's research and development center in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan, in collaboration with Gyeonggi Techno Park and Busan Techno Park.
As the Japanese automotive industry shows interest in supply chain cooperation with domestic parts manufacturers, this event was organized to support collaboration with Honda following a similar initiative with Aisin last September.
In line with the automotive industry's shift towards electrification and software-defined vehicles (SDVs), Japanese automakers, traditionally reliant on their subsidiaries, are increasingly seeking partnerships with South Korean companies specializing in electrification and automotive electronics.
Thirty leading domestic tech companies in the fields of SDVs, autonomous driving, automotive electronics, AI, and secondary batteries participated in the event. Representatives from Honda's purchasing and development departments, along with first- and second-tier suppliers, attended to observe the showcase and engage in one-on-one business consultations. Eight domestic companies with unique technologies also held technology presentation sessions.
This 'Inside Honda' event, held for the first time in two years, aimed to secure specific procurement needs from Honda, including vehicle software, batteries, and thermal management systems, allowing for the careful selection of participating domestic companies. More than 50 in-depth consultations were conducted to facilitate practical deliveries and collaborations.
As Honda implements its 'Triple Half' strategy to reduce development costs, timelines, and workloads by half while expanding the use of external technologies, opportunities for South Korean companies with strong technological capabilities and production capacity are expected to grow.
KOTRA plans to continue supporting contract negotiations and new vendor registrations throughout the year, including local consulting and assistance for entering the Global Partnering (GP) Center.
Park Yong-min, head of KOTRA's Japan regional office, stated, "Collaboration at Honda's core R&D hub is a significant achievement, and we will do our utmost to help domestic future car parts companies enter the Japanese automotive supply chain."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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