Federation of Korean Industries Chairman Ryu Jin (far left) poses for a photo at a Korea-Brazil MOU signing ceremony held Tuesday (local time) at the Grand Hyatt Sao Paulo hotel, with trade ministers from both countries in attendance. [FKI]
Federation of Korean Industries Chairman Ryu Jin (far left) poses for a photo at a Korea-Brazil MOU signing ceremony held Tuesday (local time) at the Grand Hyatt Sao Paulo hotel, with trade ministers from both countries in attendance. [FKI]

The Federation of Korean Industries has joined forces with Brazil's business community to expand economic cooperation across investment, production and supply chains, broadening the scope of collaboration to cover critical minerals, AI, biotech, aerospace and consumer goods.

The FKI and Brazil's trade and investment promotion agency ApexBrasil co-hosted the Korea-Brazil Business Roundtable in Sao Paulo on Tuesday (local time). Participants discussed ways to deepen cooperation in future growth industries, including supply chains for rare earths and other critical minerals, AI, biohealth, aerospace and consumer goods.

The Korean delegation included Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Kim Jung-kwan, Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Euisun Chung, Posco Holdings Chairman Jang In-hwa, Hanjin Group Chairman Cho Won-tae, Samsung Electronics President Park Seung-hee, LG Electronics President Ryu Jae-cheol, SK Biopharm President Lee Dong-hoon, Hanwha Ocean President Jeong In-seop, HD Construction Equipment President Moon Jae-young, Naver CEO Choi Su-yeon and Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) President Kim Jong-chul. K-beauty companies including Amorepacific, APR, Goodai Global and Silicon2 also attended.

On the Brazilian side, Vice President Geraldo Alckmin and Minister of Development, Industry, Trade and Services Marcio Elias Rosa attended alongside executives from major companies including aircraft manufacturer Embraer, meat producer JBS, pulp company Suzano, pharmaceutical company Eurofarma and biofuel firm Inpasa.

FKI Chairman Ryu Jin said Brazil, which leads global supply chains, and Korea, with its advanced manufacturing capabilities, are indispensable partners for each other. "I hope we can form a 'one team' — from investment and production to supply chain development — and enter world markets together," he said.

Participating companies discussed cooperation in three areas: manufacturing and infrastructure, advanced industries, and consumer goods and retail. Proposals included building stable supply chains for critical minerals such as rare earths, streamlining permit procedures to encourage Korean investment in Brazil, and resuming negotiations on the Korea-Mercosur trade agreement. K-beauty companies said they plan to use Brazil as a strategic hub for expanding into Latin America, deepening ties with local distribution networks.

Hyundai Motor said it would expand cooperation in green hydrogen, hydrogen trucks and small modular reactors in line with Brazil's environmental policies. Posco Holdings proposed a mutual-benefit model to strengthen critical mineral value chain cooperation, including jointly building a rare earth supply chain in Brazil.

Samsung Electronics said it would continue working with Brazil in support of the government's digital transformation agenda, while LG Electronics said it would expand its local production base and strengthen cooperation in the digital and energy transition of manufacturing.

Brazilian companies responded in kind. Braskem, Brazil's largest petrochemical company, produces biopolymers and renewable energy and already supplies green polyethylene to Hyundai Motor; it said it would expand cooperation with Korean companies in new areas including K-beauty. Embraer, one of the world's three largest commercial aircraft manufacturers, said it would deepen long-term cooperation with Korea in aviation and defense.

Immediately after the event, the two countries' trade ministers presided over the signing of six MOUs covering food, biohealth and aerospace. Industry officials expect the roundtable to accelerate investment and technology cooperation between the two sides, as Brazil — which offers both natural resources and a large consumer market — is emerging as a strategic base for Korean companies seeking to diversify supply chains and expand their presence in Latin America.


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