Gujarat Dy CM Harsh Sanghavi in Seoul for investment talks with South Korean firms
Synopsis
Gujarat Deputy CM Harsh Sanghavi is in Seoul for a full-day investment blitz — around 10 meetings spanning AI, textiles, biotech, electronics, and food processing — as the state ramps up its Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit outreach. With names like Kolon Industries, LS Electric, Lotte Wellfood, and Youngone Corporation on the list, the visit signals Gujarat's most structured South Korea push to date.
Key Takeaways
Gujarat Deputy CM Harsh Sanghavi is in Seoul on 24 October 2025 for investment talks under the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit initiative.
Around 10 one-to-one meetings and roundtables are scheduled across sectors including AI , textiles , biotechnology , electronics , and food processing .
Key meetings include Kolon Industries (chemicals/textiles), LS Electric (electronics), DeltaX (AI/BESS), Youngone Corporation (textiles), and Lotte Wellfood (food processing).
A roundtable with biotech firms UMTR , Plantner , and Bereum is also on the agenda.
The day concludes with a business seminar and dinner hosted by the Indian Chamber of Commerce in Korea (ICCK) .
Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi is scheduled to hold a packed series of one-to-one meetings and roundtable discussions with South Korean companies in Seoul on Friday, 24 October 2025, covering sectors from advanced technology and artificial intelligence to textiles, biotechnology, electronics, and food processing. The high-level delegation is visiting South Korea as part of ongoing efforts to attract investment under the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit initiative.
Key Meetings on the Agenda
The day's programme opens with a breakfast meeting with Jejeong Lee, chairman and chief executive officer of the Advanced Technology Centre Association (ATCA), and leading researchers, to explore cooperation in advanced technology. Sanghavi is also scheduled to meet Huh Sung, president and CEO of Kolon Industries — a major player in chemicals and textiles — and Stephen Kim, CEO of DeltaX, a company working in artificial intelligence and battery energy storage system (BESS) solutions.
The delegation will visit the headquarters of LS Electric for discussions with its chairman, Ja-Gyun Koo, on investment opportunities in the electronics sector. Senior executives of Seoul Viosys, a company specialising in advanced technology, and representatives of JT Corporation are also on the meeting list for discussions on industrial cooperation.
Textiles, Biotech and Food Processing in Focus
Textile manufacturing figures prominently in the visit. Sanghavi is set to visit the headquarters of Youngone Corporation, a leading South Korean textile company, and meet its chairman, Sung Ki-Hak, to discuss expansion opportunities in the sector.
On the biotechnology front, the delegation will hold a roundtable with the chief executives of UMTR, Plantner, and Bereum to identify potential areas of cooperation. In food processing and confectionery, a meeting is planned with Cho Kyung-woon, global business head of Lotte Wellfood, to explore expansion possibilities.
The programme also includes a visit to the headquarters of Cosmax, a global manufacturer of beauty and healthcare products, where the delegation will meet the company's vice-chairman.
Start-ups, Legal Frameworks and Industry Roundtables
A dedicated roundtable with South Korean start-ups is scheduled to focus on innovation and the development of Gujarat's start-up ecosystem. The delegation will additionally meet representatives of leading Korean law firms to discuss regulatory requirements and measures to facilitate investment flows into the state.
Around 10 one-to-one meetings and roundtable sessions are scheduled across the day, underlining the scale of the outreach effort.
Closing Seminar and Next Steps
The engagements will conclude with a business seminar and dinner organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce in Korea (ICCK), where the delegation is expected to hold discussions with Korean entrepreneurs on industrial partnerships and investment opportunities in Gujarat. The visit is aimed at strengthening economic ties between Gujarat and South Korea and laying the groundwork for formal investment commitments ahead of the next Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit.
Point of View
BESS, textiles, biotech, beauty, and food — which reflects a deliberate pivot from conventional manufacturing pitches toward higher-value, technology-adjacent investment. The inclusion of South Korean start-ups alongside conglomerates like Kolon and LS Electric suggests the state is hedging across both legacy industrial capital and emerging innovation ecosystems. What remains to be seen is whether these conversations convert into formal commitments at the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit, or remain goodwill visits. Past editions of the summit have attracted headline MoUs that saw uneven follow-through, and this visit will be judged on the same metric.
NationPress
23 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Gujarat Deputy CM Harsh Sanghavi visiting South Korea?
Harsh Sanghavi is visiting Seoul to hold investment and industrial collaboration talks with South Korean companies across sectors such as AI, textiles, biotechnology, electronics, and food processing. The visit is part of Gujarat's outreach under the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit initiative to attract foreign investment to the state.
Which South Korean companies is the Gujarat delegation meeting?
The delegation is scheduled to meet Kolon Industries, LS Electric, DeltaX, Seoul Viosys, JT Corporation, Youngone Corporation, Lotte Wellfood, Cosmax, and biotech firms UMTR, Plantner, and Bereum, among others. Around 10 one-to-one meetings and roundtables are planned for the day.
What is the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit?
The Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit is a biennial investment summit hosted by the Gujarat government to attract domestic and international investment across industries. It serves as the platform under which the state's global investor outreach roadshows — including this Seoul visit — are organised.
What sectors is Gujarat targeting through the South Korea visit?
Gujarat is focusing on advanced technology, artificial intelligence, battery energy storage systems, textiles, biotechnology, electronics, food processing, beauty and healthcare, and start-up innovation. The breadth of sectors reflects the state's strategy to attract both large industrial players and technology-driven companies.
How does the day's programme in Seoul conclude?
The engagements conclude with a business seminar and dinner organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce in Korea (ICCK), where the delegation is expected to hold broader discussions with Korean entrepreneurs on investment opportunities and industrial partnerships in Gujarat.
