European business chambers seek stronger investment ties with Korea
Prime Minister Han Seong-sook delivers a keynote speech during a forum jointly hosted by the Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KGCCI) and the French-Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry, at Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul, Tuesday. Courtesy of KGCCI
The Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KGCCI) and the French-Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI) on Tuesday jointly hosted a forum with Korean Prime Minister Han Seong-sook in Seoul to discuss foreign investment conditions and regulatory challenges in Korea facing European companies.
About 200 executives from German, French and other European companies, along with government, diplomatic and economic officials, took part in the event at Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul, the KGCCI said Wednesday. It was organized to strengthen direct communication between the Korean government and European businesses.
In her keynote speech, Han described Korea, Germany, France and other European Union members as trusted partners built on long-standing ties and shared support for free trade, openness, innovation and a rules-based international order.
“The government will do its utmost to cooperate so that investments and business ventures by German and French companies can generate greater results in Korea,” Han said.
Han highlighted the 19th Asia-Pacific Conference of German Business (APK 2026), scheduled to take place in Seoul next month, saying she hoped it would open new channels for investment and corporate cooperation.
Representatives of Korean, German and French businesses pose during a forum jointly hosted by the Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KGCCI) and the French-Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry, at Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul, Tuesday. Courtesy of KGCCI
Welcoming remarks were delivered by German Ambassador Georg Schmidt, French Chargé d’Affaires Philomene Robin Pierron, and EU Ambassador Ugo Astuto. Foreign Investment Ombudsman Kim Doo-sik discussed Korea’s investment climate and the importance of cooperation to attract overseas capital.
In a panel discussion, Christoph Hamann, head of Merck Healthcare Korea, and Han Hyun-su, CEO of Arkema Korea, exchanged views on regulations, investment conditions and operational challenges.
KGCCI Chairperson Park Hyun-nam said Korea should turn its industrial base, technological capabilities and innovative capacity into sustained investment, innovation and high-quality jobs. She said a stable business environment and close public-private communication are essential to attracting new investment.
FKCCI Chairman David-Pierre Jalicon, noting the 140th anniversary of Korea-France diplomatic relations and the chamber’s 40th anniversary, urged both countries to pursue bolder investment and technological innovation. The chamber plans to hold a Korea-France symposium on technology at the French National Assembly in Paris on Oct. 16 and establish Maison France, a business and networking hub in Seoul for companies and investors from both countries.