Identifying value capture opportunities in Korean smart manufacturing ecosystem

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On September 22, 2025, Hankyeol Lee, Lead of Venture Capital and Private Equity Practice at Reddal, presented our findings on “Overview of South Korea's advanced manufacturing ecosystem” in a briefing session by the Global Business Innovation Program (GBIP). This program, led by Innovate UK, supports UK businesses in expanding overseas through targeted internationalization initiatives.

The presentation highlighted opportunities for introducing novel solutions into large-scale manufacturing, driven by global competitive pressures in Korea’s high-tech sectors including semiconductors, automotive, batteries, shipbuilding, and electronics.

Overall, Korea is a highly competitive market with strong local players leading advancements in this space. Korean companies may not always be first movers in groundbreaking technologies, but they excel at refining technologies for rapid adoption and optimization across industries.

While major Korean conglomerates continue to integrate and consolidate operations among subsidiaries, there remains strong demand for partnerships and acquisitions that bring new operational expertise and technologies.

However, key challenges persist: Notably the adoption gap between large corporations and SMEs, and the need for scalable, cost-efficient solutions. Success in this market will depend on seamless integration capabilities and a clear return-on-investment rationale.

The presentation is available for access at “Overview of South Korea's advanced manufacturing ecosystem”.

The recording of the briefing session is also available at Global Business Innovation Programme - Robotics & Automation in Manufacturing, South Korea

Tags
Innovative UK, Smart manufacturing, Korean manufacturing ecosystem, Automation, Deep tech, Korean market