Bahk Eun-ji has been with The Korea Times since 2012, building a career across multiple desks. She began at the Business Desk, where she conducted in-depth interviews with key figures in Korea's corporate world. Later, she moved to the Politics & City Desk, focusing on education policy and social affairs. She later served as team leader of the digital content team, leading curation efforts on the newspaper’s homepage and reshaping print stories for social media audiences to enhance digital reach. Now back on the Politics Desk, she covers the National Assembly and the Ministry of National Defense, with a renewed focus on political developments.
Poland highlights Korea as leading Asian investor, touting economic, cultural ties
Arkadiusz Tarnowski, deputy director of the Investment Support Department at the Polish Investment and Trade Agency, gives a presentation on Korea-Poland trade relations at the agency’s office in Warsaw, Sept. 1. Korea Times photo by Bahk Eun-ji
By Bahk Eun-ji
KIELCE, Poland — The Polish Investment and Trade Agency (PAIH) hailed Korea as its most important Asian investor and “a key partner,” underscoring the growing need for cooperation in electric vehicles, batteries and semiconductors in the Polish economy. The agency said the partnership extends well beyond commerce, encompassing cultural and academic exchanges and producing an unusually close relationship between the two countries.
Since establishing diplomatic relations in 1989, Poland and Korea have strengthened their ties in areas such as trade, investment and culture. PAIH emphasized that this cooperation will now extend to emerging sectors such as semiconductors and data centers, describing the current stage as “only the beginning of a strategic partnership.”
“Korea is currently the most significant Asian investor in Poland, with more than 650 companies operating here,” said Arkadiusz Tarnowski, deputy director of investment support department at PAIH. “Around half of these companies are connected to the electric vehicle battery supply chain, forming the basis of Poland’s emergence as the world’s second-largest battery exporter.”
He emphasized that Korean firms set themselves apart by localizing production instead of relying solely on exports.
“The biggest advantage of Korean companies is their openness to joint projects with Polish partners. We call this ‘Polonization,’” Tarnowski said. “It is not just about importing a finished product from Korea. In Poland, we create something new together, with Polish companies contributing directly to its development.”
The scale of the investment is substantial. LG Energy Solution established a vast battery complex in Wroclaw in 2017, commonly referred to as “LG City,” covering more than 100 hectares. Since then, dozens of partner companies have followed, creating a dense industrial ecosystem.
“LG and its partners have already invested more than 5 billion euros (8.14 trillion won) in Poland, forming the backbone of our electric mobility sector,” Tarnowski noted.
He also highlighted the role of culture in facilitating cooperation.
“The Korean Wave — K-beauty, K-drama and K-pop — is firmly rooted in Polish society. Korean studies has become one of the most competitive subjects at university, with more than 20 applicants for each place,” he said. “This cultural trend makes the investment environment for Korean companies even more favorable.”
Perceptions of Korea as a trustworthy and friendly nation by Polish society has further reinforced the partnership.
“Investment is not only about economics. It is also about cultural understanding and mutual respect. That is why Poland sees Korea as more than a business partner — we see Korea as a long-term ally,” Tarnowski said.