Invest KOREA: The Three-Stage Foreign Investment Attraction System
Invest KOREA, operating under KOTRA, is the dedicated agency for attracting foreign investment to Korea and operates a systematic three-stage investment attraction system. Stage 1, IR (Investment Relations — investment environment briefing); Stage 2, Summit (investor networking); and Stage 3, Incubating (early settlement support), are organically linked to support the full cycle of foreign investment evaluation, decision-making, and execution.
This system is connected to the global network of 70+ KOTRA overseas trade offices, delivering seamless service from identifying local investment interest to business settlement in Korea. Invest KOREA supports more than 3,000 investment consultations and over 500 new FDI cases annually.
Stage 1: IR (Investment Relations) — Investment Environment Briefing
The IR stage is the process of systematically introducing Korea's investment environment to foreign companies and investors. Based on KOTRA Standard IR materials, overseas trade offices host local IR briefing sessions, or provide customized briefings to investors visiting Korea.
| Type | Target Audience | Content | Location | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local IR Briefings | Local companies and investors | Standard IR presentation | KOTRA trade offices | 200+ times annually |
| Korea Visit IR Briefings | Investors visiting Korea | Customized industry and location briefings | Invest KOREA headquarters | As needed |
| Online IR Webinars | Global investors | Industry-specific webinars | Zoom/Teams | 2–3 times monthly |
| Industry-Specific IR | Sector-specific investors | In-depth sessions on semiconductors, bio, etc. | Overseas + domestic | Quarterly |
| Joint Local Government IR | Foreign companies | Regional investment environment introduction | Major overseas cities | 50+ times annually |
Stage 2: Summit — Investor Networking and Matching
Stage 3: Incubating — IKP Early Settlement Support
| Service | Content | Cost | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office Space | 10–30㎡ individual offices | 50–70% of market rate | Up to 3 years |
| Entity Establishment | Corporate registration and business license support | Free advisory | 2–4 weeks |
| Visa Support | D-8 investment visa application guidance | Free advisory | As needed |
| Translation and Interpretation | Korean-English, Korean-Japanese, Korean-Chinese | Free/paid | As needed |
| Accounting and Tax | Tax accountant free advisory | Free initially | Quarterly |
| Networking | Resident company exchanges, investor matching | Free | Monthly |
Three-Stage Integration: From Investment Consideration to Settlement
Invest KOREA's three-stage IR → Summit → Incubating system is an integrated platform that systematically supports the full investment journey of foreign investors. The flow of starting with IR overseas, networking at the Summit, and launching business operations at IKP represents the core infrastructure of Korea's FDI attraction system. Foreign companies interested in investing in Korea can leverage this system to enter the Korean market efficiently and with reduced risk.