상파울루(브라질)=김봉철 기자
South Korean companies are moving beyond supplying aircraft parts to participate in the joint development of next-generation commercial aircraft. Hyundai Motor Group plans to expand its cooperation into green energy sectors, including hydrogen and small modular reactors (SMRs), based on local production capabilities.
At a Korea-Brazil business roundtable held in São Paulo on July 28, seven memorandums of understanding (MOUs) were signed in areas such as aerospace, critical minerals, and AI healthcare.
The most notable focus is on next-generation commercial aircraft. Brazilian company Embraer is considering expanding its business from existing 70-120 seat regional jets to 150-200 seat mid-size aircraft. Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) and Korean Air are discussing the possibility of joint development with Embraer through separate negotiations.
KAI has also signed an MOU with Embraer for cooperation in the commercial aircraft and aerospace sectors. KAI currently supplies wing structures for commercial aircraft and electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicles, while Korean Air provides aircraft fuselages and components. Both companies plan to expand their roles beyond parts supply to include participation from the design and development stages.
Kim Yong-beom, head of the policy office at the presidential office, held a briefing at the press center in São Paulo, stating, "Although this is an initial stage, discussions are much more concrete than previous parts supply cooperation, and our companies are genuinely interested." However, he noted that the method and scale of participation will be finalized after economic feasibility studies and negotiations between companies.
Hyundai Motor, which is on track to achieve annual sales of 200,000 units in Brazil for the third consecutive year, has proposed green vehicles and energy as new pillars of cooperation. Since starting local production in Brazil in 2012, Hyundai has grown to become the fourth-largest automaker in the country with ten subsidiaries.
Chung Eui-sun, chairman of Hyundai Motor Group, responded to questions from reporters about the success of the Brazilian business, saying, "There is still a long way to go," adding that "China is also aggressively marketing here." This suggests a need to enhance market competitiveness amid increasing pressure from Chinese companies.
In the critical minerals sector, POSCO Group has announced plans to use Brazil not just as a source of raw materials but as a hub for supply chain development. POSCO International signed an MOU with Brazilian mineral company Meteoric Resources for cooperation in the rare earth supply chain. POSCO plans to expand its existing cooperation, which is centered on iron ore, to include strategic minerals like rare earths.
SK Biopharm will collaborate with Brazilian pharmaceutical company Eurofarma on AI-based digital healthcare. The two companies plan to expand their partnership beyond epilepsy treatments to include digital therapies and the use of medical data. Naver is exploring cooperation with the Brazilian government on AI caregiving services and aims to establish Brazil as a hub for AI business in Latin America.
Investment in local production continues. LG Electronics has begun mass production at its refrigerator factory in Paraná this month, while Samsung Electronics plans to strengthen digital transformation cooperation based on its local workforce of about 5,000. Hanwha Ocean aims to expand collaboration with local shipyards and equipment companies based on its experience in participating in Petrobras's floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) projects.
K-beauty companies are also accelerating their efforts in the Brazilian market. According to Amorepacific, imports of Korean cosmetics in Brazil increased nearly fivefold compared to three years ago. Amorepacific, A.P. Group, Gudai Global, and Silicon Two plan to expand their product lines and sales channels based on local subsidiaries and distribution networks.
Ryu Jin, chairman of the Korea Economic Association, expressed hope in his opening remarks that this event would mark the launch of a "Korea-Brazil one team," stating, "I hope that companies from both countries will work together as one team in investment, production, and supply chains to advance into the global market together."
South Korean companies are moving beyond supplying aircraft parts to participate in the joint development of next-generation commercial aircraft. Hyundai Motor Group plans to expand its cooperation into green energy sectors, including hydrogen and small modular reactors (SMRs), based on local production capabilities.
At a Korea-Brazil business roundtable held in São Paulo on July 28, seven memorandums of understanding (MOUs) were signed in areas such as aerospace, critical minerals, and AI healthcare.
The most notable focus is on next-generation commercial aircraft. Brazilian company Embraer is considering expanding its business from existing 70-120 seat regional jets to 150-200 seat mid-size aircraft. Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) and Korean Air are discussing the possibility of joint development with Embraer through separate negotiations.
KAI has also signed an MOU with Embraer for cooperation in the commercial aircraft and aerospace sectors. KAI currently supplies wing structures for commercial aircraft and electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicles, while Korean Air provides aircraft fuselages and components. Both companies plan to expand their roles beyond parts supply to include participation from the design and development stages.
Kim Yong-beom, head of the policy office at the presidential office, held a briefing at the press center in São Paulo, stating, "Although this is an initial stage, discussions are much more concrete than previous parts supply cooperation, and our companies are genuinely interested." However, he noted that the method and scale of participation will be finalized after economic feasibility studies and negotiations between companies.
Hyundai Motor, which is on track to achieve annual sales of 200,000 units in Brazil for the third consecutive year, has proposed green vehicles and energy as new pillars of cooperation. Since starting local production in Brazil in 2012, Hyundai has grown to become the fourth-largest automaker in the country with ten subsidiaries.
Chung Eui-sun, chairman of Hyundai Motor Group, responded to questions from reporters about the success of the Brazilian business, saying, "There is still a long way to go," adding that "China is also aggressively marketing here." This suggests a need to enhance market competitiveness amid increasing pressure from Chinese companies.
In the critical minerals sector, POSCO Group has announced plans to use Brazil not just as a source of raw materials but as a hub for supply chain development. POSCO International signed an MOU with Brazilian mineral company Meteoric Resources for cooperation in the rare earth supply chain. POSCO plans to expand its existing cooperation, which is centered on iron ore, to include strategic minerals like rare earths.
SK Biopharm will collaborate with Brazilian pharmaceutical company Eurofarma on AI-based digital healthcare. The two companies plan to expand their partnership beyond epilepsy treatments to include digital therapies and the use of medical data. Naver is exploring cooperation with the Brazilian government on AI caregiving services and aims to establish Brazil as a hub for AI business in Latin America.
Investment in local production continues. LG Electronics has begun mass production at its refrigerator factory in Paraná this month, while Samsung Electronics plans to strengthen digital transformation cooperation based on its local workforce of about 5,000. Hanwha Ocean aims to expand collaboration with local shipyards and equipment companies based on its experience in participating in Petrobras's floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) projects.
K-beauty companies are also accelerating their efforts in the Brazilian market. According to Amorepacific, imports of Korean cosmetics in Brazil increased nearly fivefold compared to three years ago. Amorepacific, A.P. Group, Gudai Global, and Silicon Two plan to expand their product lines and sales channels based on local subsidiaries and distribution networks.
Ryu Jin, chairman of the Korea Economic Association, expressed hope in his opening remarks that this event would mark the launch of a "Korea-Brazil one team," stating, "I hope that companies from both countries will work together as one team in investment, production, and supply chains to advance into the global market together."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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