The South Korean government is set to receive a total of $2 billion in investment commitments from seven global companies during the country's largest foreign investment attraction event. The focus will be on attracting foreign investment in advanced industries such as artificial intelligence (AI) data centers, semiconductors, and clean energy, with an emphasis on expanding investments outside the capital region.
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy will host the 'Invest Korea Summit 2026' from November 4 to 6 at the Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas. This year's event is expected to attract over 2,000 participants, including representatives from more than 200 foreign investment companies, diplomatic missions in South Korea, and local government officials.
The ministry has highlighted 'region' and 'AI' as key themes for this year's summit. Under the slogan 'M.AX KOREA: Where Next Growth Begins,' the event will showcase investment opportunities created by the five-polar, three-special growth strategy and the transition of manufacturing to AI.
On the first day of the summit, the investment announcement ceremony will feature commitments from seven global companies totaling $2 billion, marking the largest investment announcement in the history of the IKS event. Approximately $1.97 billion of this amount is expected to be invested outside the capital region. The investment areas include AI data centers, semiconductor materials and equipment, advanced manufacturing, and clean energy sources such as solar and wind power.
Participating companies include Nscale, a UK-based AI infrastructure firm; Air Liquide, a French industrial gas company; Amkor Technology, a U.S. semiconductor packaging company; Guirin Energy, a Singaporean renewable energy firm; Deep Wind Offshore, a Norwegian offshore wind developer; Tokyo Electron, a Japanese semiconductor equipment manufacturer; and Henkel, a German chemical materials company.
Additionally, three new foreign investment research and development (R&D) centers will be designated. The companies involved are Edwards, a manufacturer of vacuum pumps for semiconductors; Valeo, a supplier of autonomous vehicle components; and Ibiden, a producer of graphite for semiconductors. All three R&D centers will be located outside the capital region.
According to the ministry's report on foreign direct investment trends released last month, the total amount of foreign investment reported from January to September this year reached $22.9 billion, a 10.8% increase compared to the same period last year. The actual amount of investment that arrived in South Korea also rose by 30.6% to $14.87 billion, marking the highest cumulative total for the third quarter.
The summit will also feature the 'Invest Korea Conference,' which will introduce investment opportunities in AI and advanced industries. Lee Jun-ho, Executive Vice President of LG CNS, and Samir Menon, CEO of the U.S. robotics company Dexterity, will deliver keynote speeches highlighting the application of AI in manufacturing and physical AI in industrial settings.
The ministry stated, 'We will connect the three mega-projects of semiconductors, physical AI, and AI data centers with tangible investments from global companies.'
* This article has been translated by AI.
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