Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann wrapped up a two-day visit to Seoul on December 9 with a series of meetings aimed at attracting South Korean investment across infrastructure, energy, food processing, and advanced manufacturing. The trip also included a large investment roadshow, where Mann promoted Punjab as a stable and future-ready business destination.
During talks with Daewoo E&C Chairman Jung Won-joo, Mann pushed for cooperation on renewable energy projects, including offshore wind farms, solar plants, and hydrogen production, while also highlighting opportunities in LNG terminals, petrochemical complexes, fertilizer plants, smart-city development, and transport infrastructure. He also stressed the potential for modular and prefabricated construction technologies to support faster, more cost-efficient building in the state.
At a separate meeting with GS Engineering & Construction Vice President Ryu Young-ha, the chief minister encouraged collaboration in solar, wind, and hydrogen energy, as well as large-scale civil works, industrial complexes, and EPC services. Mann said Punjab would provide full support for Korean participation in green hydrogen and clean-energy initiatives.
Food and agribusiness were also on the agenda. In talks with Nongshim Holdings, Mann advocated joint development of new instant noodle products tailored to Indian consumers and urged greater expansion into Indian retail and e-commerce channels. He proposed cooperation on marketing aimed at health-conscious and youth demographics, along with partnerships on sustainable packaging and research into longevity foods and plant-based products.
Industrial technology featured prominently in his meeting with Korea Display Industry Association Vice Chairman Lee Sung-kyu. Mann called for exploring investment in display manufacturing and technology transfer, as well as collaboration in cybersecurity, robotics, unmanned systems, and workforce training programs related to display engineering.
The chief minister also met Seoul Business Agency Startup Division Director Kim Jong-woo, where discussions focused on startup incubation, acceleration programs, and SBA's export support initiatives. Mann stressed that strengthening knowledge exchange on innovation ecosystems could help Punjab-based startups expand globally.
A roundtable on improving the business environment brought together major Korean legal firms, financial institutions, trade bodies, and think tanks. Mann presented recent regulatory reforms and invited feedback on streamlining procedures to support investment. He promoted Punjab as one of India's preferred destinations for global companies and pointed to developments underway ahead of the Progressive Punjab Investors' Summit 2026.
Mann also visited Pangyo Techno Valley, often described as South Korea's Silicon Valley, to study its deep-tech startup ecosystem. Officials from the Gyeonggi Province Business & Science Accelerator briefed the delegation on Pangyo's accelerator programs, testing platforms, and performance-driven evaluation system. Mann said Punjab could adapt similar approaches in Mohali to strengthen research, innovation, and high-skilled employment.
The visit culminated in the Punjab Investment Roadshow in Seoul, which drew participation from Korean corporations, financial institutions, R&D organizations, trade associations, legal advisors, and members of the Indian and Punjabi communities. Mann highlighted Punjab's industrial base, cost-competitive power supply, reliable labor relations, and connectivity to major markets, positioning the state as a predictable and supportive investment environment.
Indian Ambassador to South Korea Gourangalal Das welcomed the delegation and said the Embassy would continue working to expand industrial ties between India and South Korea. Participants also heard a video message from the managing director of Sunjin, who praised the investment climate in Mohali and Chandigarh and spoke positively of Punjab's skilled workforce.
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
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