▲ The South Korea-Brazil Business Roundtable held at a hotel in São Paulo, Brazil
Business leaders from South Korea and Brazil gathered at a business roundtable held at a hotel in downtown São Paulo on the occasion of President Lee Jae-myung's state visit to Brazil.
Attendees from the South Korean side included Ryu Jin, chairman of the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI); Chung Euisun, chairman of Hyundai Motor Group; Chang In-hwa, chairman of POSCO; Cho Won-tae, chairman of Korean Air; Park Seung-hee, president of Samsung Electronics; Ryu Jae-chul, CEO of LG Electronics; Lee Dong-hoon, CEO of SK Bioscience; Jung In-sub, president of Hanwha Ocean; Moon Jae-young, CEO of HD Hyundai Construction Equipment; and Choi Soo-yeon, CEO of Naver.
From Brazil, business figures also attended the event, including Francisco Gomes Neto, CEO of Embraer; Anderson Fernandes, vice president of WEG; and Jereissati Abackerli, chairman of JBS.
They unanimously emphasized that cooperation between governments as well as businesses is urgently needed to respond to the rapidly changing global economic order.
First, FKI Chairman Ryu Jin explained, "Today, Brazil is a nation leading global supply chains that will become core to economic security in energy, minerals, and food, while South Korea possesses high-tech manufacturing and digital innovation competitiveness."
He added, "The two countries are epochal partners creating the greatest energy. We must take cooperation a step further and advance together into future high-tech industries, and I hope that today will mark the launch of a South Korea-Brazil 'one team.'"
When reporters asked about the outlook for entering the Brazilian market, Hyundai Motor Chairman Chung Euisun expressed his determination to push harder, saying, "We have a long way to go. China is also pushing hard (into the market)."
Brazilian Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, who attended the event, stated, "Brazil and South Korea signed seven memorandums of understanding (MOUs) yesterday."
He added, "A foundation for cooperation has been established across various fields including education, audiovisual, sports, energy, industrial technology, aerospace science and technology, and cybersecurity."
The Brazilian Vice President explained, "The bilateral trade volume between the two countries recorded approximately 10 billion dollars in 2025. However, the potential for what our two countries can achieve together is much greater," noting that "major South Korean companies such as Samsung, LG, and Hyundai Motor are very familiar names to Brazilian consumers."
He also evaluated, "The two countries have opened doors to expand cooperation in diverse areas such as semiconductors, shipbuilding, biotechnology, and digital."
In the agricultural sector, he added, "Brazil exports boneless chicken, coffee, and cellulose to Korea, and we expect progress in opening the Korean market to beef as well."
In particular, he emphasized, "It is a reality that the world is facing difficult circumstances due to current unilateral tariff measures and supply chain uncertainties. Brazil and South Korea, as two nations with solidified democracies, will become strategic cooperative partners defending multilateralism and moving forward together."
Laudemir Müller, head of ApexBrasil (Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency), also said, "Brazil views South Korea as a very important and close friend," adding, "South Korea and Brazil are expanding cooperation not only in defense and minerals, but also in pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and animal protein. I hope today's event leads to great outcomes in private-sector cooperation."
(Photo: Yonhap News)
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