Ministry of Trade Industry and Resources

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR, Minister JK Kim) hosted the 2026 Materials, Parts and Equipment Global Investment Conference (MPE GIC) on September 17, 2026, in Seoul, bringing together around 120 Korean and foreign materials, parts and equipment (MPE) companies in advanced industries such as semiconductors, rechargeable batteries and biohealth.

As global supply chains undergo restructuring and competition in advanced technologies intensifies, companies are increasingly seeking partnerships to secure core technologies and create new business opportunities. The conference was organized to meet this growing demand by connecting Korean and foreign MPE companies and identifying new investment opportunities. Participants included MPE companies from the United States, Japan, Germany and the Netherlands that had expressed clear interest in partnering with Korean companies and investing in Korea, as well as Korean MPE companies seeking partnerships with them.

The conference introduced Korea’s investment environment and policies to attract foreign investment, while foreign-invested companies Toray, Amkor and Kurita Hansu shared their investment experiences and business results in Korea. In-depth one-on-one consultations were also arranged based on the participating companies’ needs, increasing the likelihood that these exchanges would lead to concrete partnerships and investment.

The conference also highlighted the expected growth in demand for MPE and related investment opportunities associated with Korea’s three megaprojects in semiconductors, physical AI and AI data centers, as well as the growth engines under the “Five Mega-Regions and Three Special Self-Governing Provinces (5+3)” initiative. Along with a presentation on the Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Metropolitan City, local governments including Gyeonggi-do, Daegu and Jeollabuk-do directly presented their industrial bases and investment conditions, giving foreign companies an opportunity to explore regional investment environments across Korea.

“Korea’s industrial ecosystem and the technological capabilities of its MPE companies are key strengths in fostering partnerships with foreign companies and attracting investment from them,” said Kang Gam-chan, Deputy Minister for International Trade and Investment at MOTIR. “We hope this conference will help Korean and foreign companies discuss and develop concrete plans for various forms of cooperation, including technology cooperation and joint ventures. We will continue to enhance foreign investment incentives and actively address regulatory and on-the-ground challenges so that the opportunities for cooperation foreign companies identify in Korea can lead to actual investment.”