High-voltage business day in Seoul: Daewoo, GS E&C, Nongshim, KDIA among firms wooed
Seoul/Chandigarh, December 8, 2025
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday held back-to-back strategic meetings with South Korea’s top conglomerates and business bodies, aggressively pitching Punjab as the most investor-friendly destination in India today and inviting massive Korean investments in infrastructure, renewable energy, food processing, defence manufacturing and startups.
watch….CM Mann Encourages Punjabis to Boost Local Economy
Key Highlights of the Day:
- Daewoo E&C (Chairman Jung Won-ju) CM pushed for joint ventures in offshore wind, solar & hydrogen projects, LNG terminals, smart cities, modular construction and green hydrogen. Daewoo evinced keen interest in Punjab’s upcoming industrial townships.
- GS Engineering & Construction (Vice President Young Ha Ryu) Discussions centred on solar/wind/hydrogen energy parks, highways, bridges, smart-city projects and technology transfer for modular & prefabricated construction.
- Nongshim Holdings CM proposed co-developing India-specific instant noodle flavours, expanding presence in Indian retail & e-commerce, eco-friendly packaging with local suppliers and R&D collaboration for plant-based & longevity foods.
- Korea Defense Industry Association (KDIA) – Vice Chairman Lee Sung-kyu Explored defence manufacturing, technology transfer, AI-robotics-unmanned systems, cybersecurity and joint skill-development programmes for defence engineering.
- Seoul Business Agency (SBA) – Director Jong Woo Kim Talks on startup incubation, global marketing support for Punjab startups, knowledge exchange on innovation ecosystems and potential “Seoul Awards”-style branding for Punjab products.
Landmark Announcement After an extensive visit to Pangyo Techno Valley — Asia’s premier innovation hub housing 1,780 companies and 83,000 professionals — CM Mann declared: “Mohali will be developed on the lines of Pangyo Techno Valley. We will replicate its accelerator models, testbeds and performance-driven ecosystem to make Punjab the deep-tech and startup capital of North India.”
Roundtable on “Ease of Doing Business in Punjab” In a packed session with Korea’s top law firms (Kim & Chang, Shin & Kim, Lee & Ko, Yulchon, BKL, Dentons Lee), investment banks (SK Securities, Yuanta, NH Investment, Capstone), KOTRA, KITA, Korea Robot Industry Association and KIET, the Chief Minister showcased Punjab’s reforms:
- Single-window FastTrack clearance
- Auto-deemed approvals
- Unified regulator under Invest Punjab
- ₹1.4+ lakh crore of grounded investments
He solicited suggestions to further simplify processes ahead of the Progressive Punjab Investors Summit 2026.
Wrapping up the day, CM Mann said: “Today’s engagements have laid the foundation for long-term, win-win partnerships. Korean technology + Punjab’s land, talent and market access = unlimited possibilities.”
