From Our Correspondent
Seoul: Andhra Pradesh IT, Electronics and Education Minister Nara Lokesh has intensified the state’s investment outreach in South Korea, holding a series of high-level meetings with leading companies in healthcare, electronics, semiconductors, power equipment and startups to attract advanced manufacturing and research investments to the state.
During his visit to Seoul, Lokesh urged companies to expedite projects already committed to Andhra Pradesh while proposing new investments in research and development, semiconductor materials, electric mobility, power equipment and artificial intelligence.
Shoealls urged to fast-track ₹300-crore footwear project
Lokesh met Lee Cheong-geun, Chairman and CEO of South Korean smart healthcare footwear company Shoealls Co. Ltd., and requested the company to accelerate the establishment of its ₹300-crore footwear manufacturing unit in Andhra Pradesh.
The project is expected to create around 3,000 jobs.
He also proposed that Shoealls establish an R&D and Innovation Centre in Andhra Pradesh and develop the state into a retail and distribution hub for its products.
The company, known for its MFDS-certified medical footwear integrating magnetic therapy, shock absorption, cooling soles and antibacterial materials, is also developing AI-powered smart medical footwear in collaboration with Seoul National University and Ewha Womans University Medical Center.
Lee said the company would positively examine the Andhra Pradesh government’s proposals.
Solum asked to expand electronics manufacturing
Lokesh also met Jeagab Ha, Global Operations Officer of Solum Group, which is investing ₹338 crore in an EV charger power modules and automotive electronics facility at Sri City.
The minister urged the company to complete construction quickly and commence production.
He also requested Solum to expand its Andhra Pradesh operations by manufacturing Electronic Shelf Labels (ESL) and other display-related products at Sri City, taking advantage of the display ecosystem developing around Tirupati.
The company said it would make efforts to complete the project at the earliest.
Pitch for Micro-LED materials hub
In another meeting, Lokesh invited Soft-Epi, a South Korean manufacturer of GaN epitaxy and Micro-LED materials, to establish a Micro-LED display materials hub in Andhra Pradesh.
He also proposed setting up an Advanced Epitaxy Centre in collaboration with IIT Tirupati and creating a Soft-Epi Academy to train around 500 technicians annually in GaN epitaxy, MOCVD and Micro-LED technologies.
Soft-Epi said it currently has no manufacturing operations in India but would study the state’s proposals.
Korean startups invited to Amaravati
Addressing a roundtable organised by the Seoul Business Agency, Lokesh invited Korean startups to establish a presence at the Ratan Tata Innovation Hub (RTIH) in Amaravati.
He said Andhra Pradesh aims to create 20,000 startups and one lakh jobs over the next five years under its “One Family, One Entrepreneur” vision.
RTIH currently supports more than 2,500 startups and has built a network of over 5,200 entrepreneurs, backed by government seed funding, venture capital partnerships and deep-tech programmes.
Lokesh proposed the creation of an India-Korea Startup Corridor, including a dedicated Korea Desk, co-incubation programmes and easier market access for startups from both countries.
AI and Quantum ambitions
Highlighting Andhra Pradesh’s technology roadmap, Lokesh said the state aims to become India’s AI capital.
He pointed to the upcoming Google AI Hub, a 10 GW data centre pipeline being developed by companies including Reliance, CtrlS and Sify, and the proposed Quantum Valley in Amaravati, which will house India’s first Quantum and AI University along with IBM’s advanced quantum computing infrastructure.
He said these initiatives would create opportunities for Korean deep-tech startups in research and product development.
Hyosung invited to manufacture power equipment
Lokesh met Yokota Takeshi, President of Power Systems at Hyosung Heavy Industries, and invited the company to establish a manufacturing or assembly unit for switchgears and other power equipment near Sri City or Tirupati.
He said Andhra Pradesh is expanding its transmission network with an investment of ₹8,000 crore and is targeting 160 GW of clean energy capacity by 2034, creating significant demand for advanced electrical equipment.
Hyosung said it would examine the proposal.
Push for semiconductor investments
Lokesh also met Taehyung Lee, Vice President of Seoul Semiconductor, and urged the company to establish a display fabrication facility in Andhra Pradesh.
He highlighted the growing Korean industrial ecosystem in the state, which already hosts over 40 Korean companies, including Kia, LG Electronics, LG Chem and Solum.
The minister said Andhra Pradesh had attracted 25% of India’s investments in 2026 and around $240 billion in investment commitments over the past 24 months, while benefiting from strong support from the Union government for infrastructure and industrial development.
Seoul Semiconductor said it currently has only sales and distribution operations in India but is evaluating direct investment and joint venture opportunities, and would consider Andhra Pradesh’s proposal.
Focus shifts from attracting investment to accelerating execution
Lokesh’s South Korea visit reflects Andhra Pradesh’s strategy of building on existing investor relationships while pursuing high-value investments in semiconductors, electronics, medical devices, AI, clean energy and advanced manufacturing.
Unlike traditional investment roadshows, the meetings also focused on accelerating projects already announced, particularly those at Sri City and other industrial clusters, while seeking to establish research centres, innovation hubs and skill development facilities that could strengthen the state’s long-term manufacturing ecosystem.