During a visit to Silicon Valley, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung emphasized the nation’s robust capabilities in technology, manufacturing, and innovation, advocating for enhanced collaboration with top US venture capital firms. Lee underscored the appeal of South Korea as an investment hub due to its advanced digital infrastructure, highly skilled workforce, and rapid execution abilities. He assured that the South Korean government would back these efforts through visa reforms aimed at attracting foreign experts, fostering stronger partnerships between businesses and research institutions, and boosting funding for startups.
The visit also marked a significant step in strengthening ties between South Korea and the venture capital community in the United States. A memorandum of understanding was signed between South Korea’s National Pension Service and six major US venture capital firms, focusing on expanding investment cooperation and fortifying the connection with South Korea’s emerging startup ecosystem.
President Lee’s itinerary in Silicon Valley included meetings with overseas Koreans and leaders from the technology sector. This included discussions with executives from prominent corporations such as Samsung, SK Group, Hyundai, Nvidia, OpenAI, Broadcom, and Anthropic, further cementing South Korea’s commitment to fostering innovation and technological growth.
After completing his engagements in Silicon Valley, President Lee embarked on the next leg of his multi-nation overseas tour, departing for Brazil. This tour aims to bolster South Korea’s economic and strategic partnerships on the global stage, reflecting the country’s proactive approach to international collaboration and investment.