Representatives for Alabama’s economic development interests in the Republic of Korea visited the state earlier this month as they launch their new assignment.
Sean Blakeley and Carol Yelim Choo are leading Alabama’s new foreign business development office in Seoul.
The Alabama Department of Commerce announced the office in October, along with a Japan office in Tokyo, as a way to strengthen business ties in key global markets.
The new offices will help raise Alabama’s profile in the region and build on solid, longtime relationships in both South Korea and Japan, said Commerce Secretary Ellen McNair.
“We are looking forward to cultivating new partnerships while also attracting additional foreign direct investment and expanding markets for exports,” McNair said. “Hosting Sean and Carol here in Alabama is one of the first steps in spreading the message in Seoul and beyond that we are ready for new business opportunities in the country.”
During their visit to the state, Blakeley and Choo made stops in Mobile, Montgomery, Opelika and Chambers County, where they toured key sites and held meetings with local and state business leaders.
Their agenda included the Port of Mobile, Brookley Aeroplex, AIDT Maritime Center and Hyundai’s auto assembly plant in Montgomery.
“This was their initial visit to Alabama, and the goal was to familiarize them with some of our assets,” said Hollie Pegg, assistant director of the Alabama Department of Commerce’s Recruitment and Retention Office in charge of Asian strategy. “They will primarily work from Seoul, but they will visit here periodically, and we will continue to visit South Korea.”
Blakeley explained that “this was an excellent opportunity for us to really understand the Alabama offering and meet the talented people in the business ecosystem who would support potential new Korean investors.”
In addition, they participated in an Economic Development Partnership of Alabama forum in Montgomery.
Pegg said Alabama has been successful in attracting significant Korean investment, particularly automotive companies, due to Hyundai’s operations in Montgomery.
“The goal now is to diversify our Korean footprint. There are several industrial sectors that are good fits for our workforce, and we look forward to welcoming additional Korean investment into Alabama,” she said.
Choo agreed, adding “with Korean investment into the U.S. set to increase, Alabama is well placed to attract investors from a variety of sectors including defense tech, shipbuilding and biotech.”
Blakeley and Choo are with Samil PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC Korea), the firm selected by the Commerce Department to serve as Alabama’s business development representative in South Korea. As the country’s largest professional services firm, Samil PwC has more than 50 years of experience helping both public and private sector clients achieve their investment and trade goals.
The team is focused on identifying and cultivating Korean inbound investment opportunities, supporting Alabama exporters and trade development efforts and organizing participation in high-level engagements such as trade shows and missions.
Courtesy of Made in Alabama
