Andhra pitches itself as India’s most reliable Korean investment destination: Minister Lokesh

Amaravati, Jul 9 (PTI) Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh on Thursday met Eui-hae Cecilia Chung, Vice Minister for Political Affairs at South Korea's Foreign Ministry, in Seoul, and pitched the state as India's most reliable destination for investments from the East Asian nation. On the fifth day of his South Korea tour, the state IT minister highlighted Andhra Pradesh's 3S governance model—speed, stability and service—assuring Korean investors of policy certainty, quick approvals and proactive government support. "Lokesh met Eui-hae Cecilia Chung, Vice Minister for Political Affairs at South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in Seoul, and pitched Andhra Pradesh as India's most reliable destination for Korean investments," a press release said. He invited Korean companies to make Andhra Pradesh their preferred manufacturing and investment hub in India, highlighting the state's attractive land prices, incentives and investor-friendly policies. Lokesh said that amid the changing global geopolitical environment, Andhra Pradesh has emerged as a safe, stable and trusted manufacturing base on India's eastern coast, offering global companies a reliable alternative for building resilient supply chains. He invited Korean businesses to explore opportunities not only in heavy industries but also in green energy, consumer goods, modern retail, tourism and advanced electronics. To support future investments, he proposed setting up joint training academies with South Korea to train Andhra Pradesh's youth in Korean industrial standards, language and workplace culture. He said the state's education and skill development departments are ready to work closely with Korean partners to create a globally competitive workforce. The minister proposed setting up an Andhra Pradesh-Korea Investment Desk to facilitate investments and institutional collaboration, and requested the South Korean government to set up a Korean Cultural Centre in Andhra Pradesh to strengthen cultural and people-to-people ties. Highlighting Andhra Pradesh's strategic advantages, Lokesh said the state—with India's second-longest coastline, major deep-water ports such as Visakhapatnam and Krishnapatnam, and four upcoming greenfield ports—offers Korean companies a cost-effective gateway to the Indian market and an export hub for the Middle East, Africa and Europe. He proposed annual Andhra Pradesh-South Korea Economic Partnership Dialogues and the setting up of Korean language centres in universities across the state, the release added. The proposals included stronger partnerships between Visakhapatnam, Busan and Incheon, as well as direct air connectivity, to deepen trade, investment and long-term cooperation between Andhra Pradesh and South Korea. Lokesh also met Kia Corporation Executive Vice President (Global Operations) Tae Hun Lee and the company's senior leadership, inviting the automaker to expand its presence in Andhra Pradesh beyond passenger vehicle manufacturing. He proposed an integrated manufacturing ecosystem for electric, hybrid and Platform Beyond Vehicle solutions, along with a Completely Knocked Down assembly and export hub near Visakhapatnam Port. He invited Kia to establish an EV components manufacturing hub and an EV powertrain testing and homologation centre to strengthen Andhra Pradesh's position as a global automotive and advanced mobility manufacturing destination. Lee said Kia would examine the Andhra Pradesh government's proposals in consultation with the company's senior leadership, a press release said. In a separate meeting with Vice Minister for International Trade and Investment Kamchan Kang, Lokesh sought South Korea's partnership in building a knowledge-driven economy in Andhra Pradesh through student and faculty exchanges, curriculum development, joint research and technology transfer. He proposed cooperation in electronics, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, cybersecurity, clean technology, health technology and shipbuilding. He invited South Korea to partner in creating the infrastructure and regulatory ecosystem required to support 10 GW of data centre capacity in the state. Lokesh further proposed establishing a dedicated Korea Industrial Park with plug-and-play infrastructure, investor incentives and a dedicated Korea Desk. He invited Korean companies to invest in solar, wind, green hydrogen, pumped storage and battery manufacturing, to help Andhra Pradesh achieve its target of 160 GW renewable energy capacity by 2030. The minister later met S W Chung, Chief Executive Officer of Sunic Systems, inviting the company to establish a display equipment manufacturing facility at Sri City under the India Semiconductor Mission 2.0 and the Andhra Pradesh Semiconductor and Display Fab Policy. He invited Sunic Systems to collaborate with the Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation and universities in the state on advanced semiconductor skill development programmes to build a future-ready talent pipeline. The company said it would evaluate the Andhra Pradesh government's proposals. Lokesh said Andhra Pradesh is positioning itself as a global destination for advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, electric mobility, digital infrastructure and clean energy. He added that the state remains committed to building long-term partnerships with South Korea to drive investment, innovation and employment, in line with the Swarna (Golden) Andhra 2047 vision. PTI STH MS SSK