Jay Y. Lee: "Italy Is a Special Country for Samsung"... Ferrari CEO: "Korea Is an Inspiring Place"

Jay Y. Lee: "Italy is a special country for Samsung"

Ferrari CEO: "Korea is a market full of inspiration"

Business leaders from both countries pledge cooperation at the Korea-Italy Business Roundtable

President Lee: "During times of g

At the Korea-Italy Business Roundtable (BRT) held in conjunction with President Lee Jaemyung’s state visit, business leaders from both countries—including Samsung Electronics Chairman Jay Y. Lee and Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna—reaffirmed their commitment to active cooperation.

Samsung Electronics Chairman Jay Y. Lee and Ferrari Chairman Benedetto Vigna are having a conversation at a business roundtable attended by President Jae-myung Lee on the 12th (local time) at a hotel in Rome, Italy. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

Yongbum Kim, policy chief at the Presidential Office, held a press briefing at the press center in Rome on the 12th (local time), stating, “BRT participants agreed that a new level of progress in bilateral relations is needed amid the AI revolution and the ongoing reorganization of supply chains,” and conveyed the key remarks made during the event.

Chairman Jay Y. Lee began by saying, “Italy is a special country for Samsung,” noting, “Events like the Milan Furniture Fair have been a source of tremendous inspiration, and Samsung’s Chief Design Officer (CDO) is also Italian.” Mauro Porcini, CDO of Samsung Electronics’ DX division, is Italian. Lee further added, “If Italy, a powerhouse in science, and Korea, a leader in technological innovation, join forces, it will be possible to expand cooperation across various advanced industries.”

Seongrak Wi, Director of the National Security Office (from left), Jae-yong Lee, Chairman of Samsung Electronics, and Yongbum Kim, policy chief, are having a conversation at a business roundtable attended by President Jae-myung Lee at a hotel in Rome, Italy, on the 12th (local time). 2026.6.13 Yonhap News Agency

Ja-eun Koo, Chairman of LS Group, introduced, “Since LS acquired a local Italian company, we have been supplying core transformer materials to Europe,” and continued, “Recently, we established an R&D center in Milan to expand our technology partnership with Italy.” He also stated, “Recognizing Italy’s significance as a ‘Mediterranean hub’ connecting North Africa and Europe, we will strive to achieve tangible outcomes in the power infrastructure sector.”

Hyun-joon Cho, Chairman of Hyosung Group, also introduced cases of collaboration in fashion and finance, stating, “We will contribute to the development of both countries by broadening cooperation in areas such as eco-friendly materials and energy infrastructure.” Jungsoo Kim, Chairman of Samyang Foods, shared joint research and development cases aimed at improving the quality of noodle products from both countries, such as Korean ramen and Italian pasta. Jaeyoung Moon, CEO of HD Hyundai Construction Equipment, expressed gratitude for the resolution of issues related to accelerated depreciation, likening the speed of the Italian government’s problem-solving to that of a Ferrari supercar. Companies such as Naver, LG Chem, Korea Aerospace Industries, Cosmax, Cureverse, and Fashion Group Hyungji also expressed their willingness to expand cooperation.

Italian business leaders also responded positively. Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna remarked, “Korea is a market that continually inspires and feels like home,” and added, “Beyond launching traditional luxury cars, I hope to collaborate through joint research and development in electrification and digitalization with Korea.” Chairman Jay Y. Lee and John Elkann, Chairman of Ferrari, have been friends for 27 years, and Lee previously served as an outside director at Ferrari.

Biagio Mazotta, Chairman of Fincantieri, Italy’s largest shipbuilding and defense company, commented, “We hope to expand collaboration with Korean companies in fields such as cruise ships, warships, and submarine support systems,” adding, “As Europe’s largest manufacturer, Korean companies are both competitors and partners bringing innovative initiatives.” Additionally, Dominici, CEO of KIKO Milano, a leading color cosmetics company, as well as other Italian business leaders, also expressed hopes for greater collaboration with Korean companies.

After the business leaders’ remarks, President Lee stated, “During times of great transformation, solidarity and cooperation among countries that share values are crucial,” and added, “Amidst a dynamically changing world order, I look forward to Korea and Italy advancing together and expect companies to play a pivotal role.”

President Lee Jae-myung is entering a business roundtable held at a hotel in Rome, Italy on the 12th (local time), shaking hands with Lee Jae-yong, Chairman of Samsung Electronics. 2026.6.13 Yonhap News Agency

After the event, President Lee held an impromptu meeting with Korean business leaders and expressed his gratitude for their participation, according to policy chief Kim. At the meeting, President Lee announced that the “direct hotline” promised with Indian Prime Minister Modi during the summit in April had been established, and that a “Korea Business Week” is scheduled to be held in India at the end of this month. President Lee also requested, “Please submit policy suggestions that are difficult for individual ministries to handle directly to the Policy Office.”

Meanwhile, during the post-event meeting, it was reported that the hotel where the event was held provided a cake inscribed with “Korea 2, Czech 1. Congratulations” to celebrate Korea’s first victory at the North and Central America World Cup.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.