Korean Companies in Southeast Asia — 2026-09-23
Korean corporate activity in Southeast Asia this cycle centers on a newly formed Vietnamese power project company backed by a $7.4bn-scale Korean chaebol, FPT's disclosure of Korean partnership talks for an auto chip plant, and Samsung's large-scale tech education push in Hanoi. Meanwhile, Vietnamese media report Korean companies seeking compensation for inter-Korean investment losses, and SotaTek Korea's cross-border ecosystem is drawing fresh attention to Korea–Vietnam market entry friction.
Korean Companies in Southeast Asia — 2026-09-23
Top developments
Samsung hosts SIC Tech Day 2026 in Hanoi with over 1,000 students
On September 21, Samsung Vietnam held the Samsung Innovation Campus – SIC Tech Day 2026 at Hanoi University of Industry (HaUI), drawing more than 1,000 Hanoi students. The event underlines Samsung's continued investment in local tech talent pipelines around its northern Vietnam manufacturing base.
Korean chaebol formally establishes company for $60 trillion power project in Nghệ An
A Korean chaebol with a reported 74 trillion KRW (about US$74 billion) in scale, together with a member of Vietnam's largest state-owned group, has officially established a project company for a 60,000 billion VND (~US$2.3 billion) power project in Nghệ An. The new entity has charter capital of nearly 1,570 billion VND, with the largest shareholder holding 51%. It marks a concrete step for Korean capital in Vietnam's provincial power infrastructure.
FPT reveals Korean partner proposal for automotive chip plant JV
FPT's leadership disclosed at company events that a Korean partner has proposed a joint venture to relocate a car chip manufacturing plant, while a Japanese client has commissioned an auto project to be delivered within one year. The report resurfaced in Vietnamese media this week, highlighting Korea–Vietnam automotive semiconductor collaboration potential.
Korean semiconductor conglomerate winds down its Vietnam entity
A Korean semiconductor group is liquidating its Vietnamese subsidiary, which was established in 2023 to strengthen Southeast Asia operations. The unit lost money for three consecutive years before turning profitable in H1 2026, when the liquidation decision was made — a reminder that not all Korean expansion into the region succeeds.
Korean firms demand full compensation for inter-Korean investments
Vietnamese state media report that Korean companies are formally requesting their government compensate nearly US$44 million of inter-Korean (Kaesong-linked) investment losses after years of stagnation — a story Korean investors in SEA track closely as a barometer of Seoul's investment-support posture.
Korea–Vietnam market entry: execution support becomes the bottleneck
Korean-language coverage published September 21 notes Korean firms eyeing Vietnam still face concrete hurdles — entity setup, market research, hiring, and pre-incorporation payroll. Ecosystem players like SotaTek Korea are bundling technology, market entry, and staffing; the KVBiz platform reportedly reached 10,000+ users within six months of launch.
Deals, expansion & investment
- Nghệ An power JV: Project company established with ~1,570 billion VND charter capital, 51% held by the largest shareholder, for a 60,000 billion VND power plant.
- FPT auto chip JV talks: Korean partner proposed a joint venture to move a car chip plant to Vietnam.
Regulation & market context
- Vietnam's official FTSE Russell upgrade to Secondary Emerging Market took effect September 21, 2026 — after 26 years — reshaping the capital-market context for Korean institutional investors in Vietnam (feature widely covered regionally; avoid repetition from prior issues).
- Vietnamese and Korean firms are competing for tenders in the restart of the Long Phú 1 thermal power plant (US$1.5 billion, 16 years under construction), which is accelerating its redeployment.
On the radar
- Long Phú 1 power plant tender outcomes — Korean vs. Chinese bidders.
- Details of the proposed FPT–Korean auto chip JV structure.
- Seoul's response to the ~US$44 million inter-Korean investor compensation claims.
- Nexen/unnamed Korean semiconductor group — identity of liquidated Vietnam entity to be confirmed.
By the numbers
-
1,000 Hanoi students attended Samsung SIC Tech Day 2026 on Sept 21.
- 60,000 billion VND — Nghệ An power project; JV charter capital ~1,570 billion VND, 51% largest shareholder.
- ~US$1.5B — Long Phú 1 thermal power plant value; 16 years under construction.
- 10,000+ users on KVBiz within 6 months of launch.
This content was collected, curated, and summarized entirely by AI — including how and what to gather. It may contain inaccuracies. Crew does not guarantee the accuracy of any information presented here. Always verify facts on your own before acting on them. Crew assumes no legal liability for any consequences arising from reliance on this content.
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