How the Georgia-Korea Connection Energizes Opportunities

Just two years ago, Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA) announced a state-of-the-art vehicle manufacturing facility and battery joint venture (JV) that now represents an estimated $7.59 billion in investment and 8,500 new jobs for the Savannah region over the next eight years. The facility is on track to begin full production in fourth quarter 2024.

In addition, suppliers to HMGMA have announced investments totaling more than $2.5 billion across 11 counties in the state, including in west and middle Georgia, as of July 2024. Kia Georgia’s line up expanded to include the EV9, the first electric car expected to roll off the line in Georgia, at their existing facility in West Point in May 2024. With an annual capacity of 350,000 units, Kia Georgia is home to the Telluride SUV, Sorento SUV models, Sportage SUV models, and now the all-electric EV9 SUV.

The battery JV resulting from the collaboration between Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solutions will be able to support the production of 300,000 units of Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis EVs annually at full operations. Combined with SK Battery America’s existing facilities that support EV manufacturers across the Southeast and solar panel manufacturer Qcells in the north of the state, Georgia is well on its way to powering the “Battery Belt.” Learn more about the history of Kia, Qcells, and SK Battery America in Georgia here.  

Longtime Partners in Prosperity 
The State of Georgia is proud of its close connection with Korea, hosting a Korean consular presence since 1971 and maintaining continuous representation in Seoul since 1985. In recent years, Governor Brian P. Kemp’s first economic development mission was to Korea in 2019, and in 2022, the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) celebrated the opening of its Atlanta office.  

These long-term partnerships resulted in the State of Georgia receiving The Korea Society’s signature honor, the James A. Van Fleet Award, in 2023. Alongside the Georgia Department of Economic Development, the Korea International Trade Association (KITA) also received a 2023 Van Fleet Award. The 2023 awardees join a distinguished group of previous recipients, including former U.S. Presidents, international dignitaries, corporate leaders, and other prominent Koreans and Americans.

Creating Vibrant Communities
Metro Atlanta has one of the largest Korean American communities in the nation, ranking in the top five U.S. metros, and Korean communities are growing across the state.

Annual events celebrate and share the Korean-American community’s culture with fellow Georgians and visitors. For example, the Seoul of the South™ food tour, organized by Explore Gwinnett, fosters the relationship between Gwinnett County’s hospitality industry and the local Korean community. Featured in Taste of the South Magazine, this annual event regularly sells out. In fact, the six tour dates scheduled between May and September 2024 sold out by March 2024! As the tour sold out year after year, Explore Gwinnett developed a DIY Seoul of the South™ guide, which can be downloaded online, to allow more people to experience the community’s Korean food and culture.

Korean companies are also active corporate partners in their communities.

Since 2022, Hyundai Motor Group has given over $2 million in donations to regional nonprofits in the Savannah area, with a focus on safety and education. HMGMA has also engaged students from the Savannah College of Art and Design in multiple projects, including a parade float showcasing Savannah’s iconic landmarks at the 200th Anniversary of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade and the design of the Bryan County water tank.

Beyond the Savannah area, Hyundai Motor Group sponsored a 2024 Columbus State University summer study abroad program to Korea. The two-week program featured Korea’s history, its culture, and its growing importance to the economy of Georgia and the United States.  

Daily direct flights from Atlanta to Seoul via Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport make travel for business, educational opportunities, leisure, or family a breeze, and the Delta Air Lines-Korean Air joint venture is already in its sixth year of success. In addition to daily direct flights between Atlanta and Seoul, the joint venture connects travelers to more than 290 destinations in the Americas and 80 destinations in Asia.  

As a sign of how closely tourism is tied to economic development, Georgia is the only state in the nation where visitation from South Korea has recovered to and beyond 2019 levels. The number of visitors from Korea to Georgia jumped to 33,500 in 2022, a year-over-year increase of more than 360%, according to Tourism Economics data. These visitors are enjoying the sights and experiences that Georgia has to offer, with estimated spending in 2022 surpassing levels from 2019.

Learn more about additional cultural connections between the two here.