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 Jae-myung's state visit, business leaders from both countries—including Samsung Electronics Chairman Jay Y. Lee and Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna—pledged to actively pursue 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 briefing at the press center in Rome on the 12th (local time), stating, "The BRT participants agreed that the bilateral relationship needs to make a leap to a new level in light of the AI revolution and the ongoing restructuring of global supply chains," and relayed key remarks from the event.

First, Chairman Jay Y. Lee remarked, "Italy is a special country for Samsung. Events like the Milan Furniture Fair have been sources of amazing inspiration, and our Chief Design Officer (CDO) is also from Italy." Samsung Electronics DX Division CDO Mauro Porcini is Italian. Lee added, "If Italy, a powerhouse in science, and Korea, a leader in technological innovation, join forces, we can expand cooperation in 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. Recently, we established an R&D center in Milan to expand our technological partnership with Italy." He continued, "Given Italy's importance as a 'Mediterranean hub' connecting North Africa and Europe, we will strive to achieve tangible results in the power infrastructure sector."

Hyun-joon Cho, Chairman of Hyosung Group, also shared examples of cooperation in the fashion and financial sectors, stating, "We will expand collaboration in areas such as eco-friendly materials and energy infrastructure to contribute to the advancement of both countries." Jeongsoo Kim, Chairman of Samyang Foods, described joint R&D initiatives to improve the quality of noodle products such as Korean ramen and Italian pasta. Jaeyoung Moon, CEO of HD Hyundai Construction Equipment, expressed gratitude for the resolution of issues related to the accelerated depreciation system and likened the Italian government's speed in problem-solving to that of a "Ferrari" supercar. Other companies—including Naver, LG Chem, Korea Aerospace Industries, Cosmax, Curebus, and Fashion Group Hyungji—also expressed their intention to further expand cooperation.

Italian business leaders also responded positively. Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna said, "Korea is a market that constantly inspires us and feels like home. Beyond launching traditional luxury cars, we hope to collaborate with Korea on electrification and digitalization through joint R&D." Chairman Jay Y. Lee and Ferrari Chairman John Elkann have been friends for 27 years, and Lee previously served as an outside director at Ferrari.

Biagio Mazotta, Chairman of Fincantieri—the largest shipbuilding and defense company in Italy—noted, "We hope to expand cooperation with Korean companies in areas such as cruise ships, naval vessels, and submarine support systems. As the largest manufacturer in Europe, Korean companies are both competitors and partners driving innovative initiatives." Additionally, executives such as Dominici, CEO of KIKO Milano—a color cosmetics company—also expressed hope for further collaboration with Korean firms.

After the business leaders' remarks, President Lee stated, "During times of great transformation, solidarity and cooperation among countries that share values are essential. I hope that Korea and Italy will continue to advance together amid the dynamic changes in the global order, and I look forward to the pivotal role that companies will play."

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

Following the event, President Lee held an impromptu meeting with Korean business leaders to express his appreciation 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 April summit had been established, and that "Korea Business Week" will be held in India at the end of this month. He further requested, "For policy suggestions that individual ministries find difficult to address, please submit them directly to the policy office."

Meanwhile, at the post-event meeting, the hotel hosting the event presented a cake inscribed with "Korea 2, Czech 1. Congratulations" to celebrate Korea's first victory in the North and Central American World Cup.

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