Under the theme of “AI Innovation Partner, KOREA,” the two-day summit featured an array of events such as the Invest Korea Conference, a foreign press conference, startup seminars, townhall meetings, one-on-one B2B meetings, and exhibition booths organized by local governments and Korean companies. IKS 2025 highlighted the Korean government’s will to continue prioritizing FDI attraction, particularly in the areas of advanced technology and AI, as well as create a more favorable business environment for foreign companies and investors alike.

In his congratulatory speech at the opening ceremony, Vice Minister Moon Shin-hak of MOTIR said, “Korea is an attractive destination for global companies looking to invest, and foreign investment plays a vital role in boosting the country’s industrial competitiveness.” He added, “In today’s climate of heightened economic uncertainty, Korea remains committed to strengthening its standing as a global business hub by continuously enhancing the competitiveness of advanced industries, diversifying export markets, and upgrading support systems for foreign investors.”

The Invest Korea Conference was the highlight of the summit, featuring leading experts from advanced industries who discussed Korea’s role in the AI era and strategies for global investment cooperation. Keynote speakers from Naver Cloud and Furiosa AI delivered presentations on their visions for next-generation AI computing and the sovereign AI ecosystem, and Invest KOREA Commissioner Kim Tae-hyung emphasized Korea’s status as a global corporate investment hub, detailing the reasons behind the strong interest of global investors in Korea.

Notably, this year’s summit was all the more successful on the back of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum which took place in the southeastern city of Gyeongju, with high-profile leaders from around the world like U.S. President Donald Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, who hosted the event. Prior to opening day, seven multinational companies including Amazon Web Services and Renault unveiled their investment plans amounting to USD 9 billion over the next five years. The companies finalized FDI agreements totaling USD 660 million as part of the plans. In addition, Tokyo Electron, Valeo and Ocean Winds, also made investment commitments of a combined USD 550 million.

As a result, IKS 2025 drew in the largest-ever investment achievement to date, proving Korea’s prowess to rise as a global leader in high-tech industries, growing into a dynamic platform for collaboration and investment across borders. KOTRA’s President and CEO Kang Kyung-sung said, “This year’s Invest Korea Summit serves not only as a government-led investor relations (IR) platform, but also as an ideal opportunity to advance Korea’s goal of becoming a top-three global AI powerhouse and promote regional and international investment cooperation.”