'First Visit to US and Japan' Kim Dong-yeon Brings 'Gift Bundle'... Attracts 4.3 Trillion Won Investment

Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon concluded his first business trip to the United States and Japan on the 19th since taking office. Governor Kim undertook a grueling schedule covering over 25,000 km across 7 regions in 2 countries over 9 nights and 11 days, including Michigan, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Virginia in the U.S., and Tokyo and Kanagawa Prefecture in Japan.

During this trip, Governor Kim secured investments worth approximately 4.3 trillion KRW, with 4 deals in the U.S. and 2 in Japan. He also achieved visible results in various fields such as expanding overseas study opportunities at prestigious universities for local youth and strengthening innovation alliances with sister regions. Additionally, he successfully attracted the 27th World Korean Business Convention, which involves over 1,000 overseas Korean entrepreneurs from 67 countries, to Suwon.

■ 4.3 trillion KRW investment attraction... largest single trip

Governor Kim attracted investments totaling 4.3 trillion KRW from six overseas companies during this trip.

Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon (left) is taking a commemorative photo after signing an investment agreement with Nam Seon-woo, CEO of ESR Kendall Square (center), on the 13th (local time).

ESR Kendall Square Co., Ltd. will build a 3 trillion KRW eco-friendly integrated logistics center in Gyeonggi Province. Industrial gas company Air Products will invest 500 billion KRW in Gyeonggi Province. Another industrial gas company, Linde, also signed an investment agreement worth 500 billion KRW. Integris, a U.S. semiconductor materials company, plans to establish a comprehensive research institute in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province. ULVAC Group, a leading Japanese vacuum technology company, will build a technology development research center in the Pyeongtaek Eoyeon and Hansan Foreign Investment Industrial Complexes with an investment of 133 billion KRW, creating about 150 high-quality jobs. Meanwhile, Tokyo Ohka Kogyo (TOK), the world’s largest company in semiconductor core material photoresist (PR), will invest 101 billion KRW to establish a photoresist manufacturing facility in the Pyeongtaek Poseung (BIX) district.

■ Surge in overseas training for Gyeonggi youth... agreements with two U.S. universities

Alongside investment attraction, Governor Kim agreed to collaborate on the 'Gyeonggi Youth Ladder Program' with Michigan State University, State University of New York at Buffalo, and the World Korean Trade Association.

Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon (left) is taking a commemorative photo after signing the Gyeonggi Youth Ladder Program agreement with Satish K. Tripathi, President of the State University of New York at Buffalo, at the SUNY Global Center in New York, USA, on the 12th (local time).

The Gyeonggi Youth Ladder Program is designed to provide Gyeonggi youth with opportunities to study abroad at overseas universities and experience local cultures, helping them realize higher aspirations and encouraging diverse career exploration and a spirit of challenge. It is expected to help reduce social disparities and provide opportunities for social mobility.

Governor Kim agreed to cooperate on the Gyeonggi Youth Ladder Program with two U.S. universities, Michigan State University and SUNY Buffalo, and the World Korean Trade Association (World OKTA) during his visit to Japan.

Accordingly, the province plans to sign agreements with universities in the U.S., China, Australia, and companies affiliated with the World Korean Trade Association, aiming to involve about 300 youth annually in the Gyeonggi Youth Ladder Program.

■ Strengthening innovation alliances... Michigan, Virginia, and Kanagawa Prefecture join hands

During his overseas visit, Governor Kim built consensus on exchange and cooperation with key local government leaders.

Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon (right) warmly shakes hands with Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer in Detroit, Michigan, USA, on the 11th (local time).

On the 11th (local time), Governor Kim met with Gretchen Whitmer, Governor of Michigan, and formed a consensus to build innovation alliances in strategic industries such as automobiles, secondary batteries, and renewable energy. On the 14th, he agreed via phone with Glenn Youngkin, Governor of Virginia, to work on revitalizing relations between the two regions, with both promising to meet again soon. On the 17th, he discussed cooperation plans in the Gyeonggi Youth Ladder Program, healthcare, sports, and cultural arts with Yuji Kuroiwa, Governor of Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, which has a long-standing friendly relationship with Gyeonggi Province.

Governor Kim actively requested support for the bid to host the '2030 Busan Expo' during meetings with these key figures. Notably, responding to a request from Hyundai Motor North America Technical Center (HATCI), he secured the Michigan Governor’s attendance at the safety test center inauguration, addressing concerns from local companies. He also signed an agreement with the World Korean Trade Association (World OKTA) to host the 27th World Korean Business Convention in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.