"Beyond Korea to the World"... UKF Korea Launched to Connect Global Entrepreneurs

Presenting a Vision for the Next-Generation Community
"Expanding Ecosystem Connections"

The United Korean Founders (UKF) has launched its Korean branch, 'UKF Korea', and is set to actively connect the Korean startup ecosystem with the global Korean entrepreneur network.

On June 19, UKF held the 'Seoul Meets UKF' event at COEX in Seoul, officially announcing the launch of UKF Korea. The event was attended by Seju Jung, founder of Noom and co-chair of UKF; Kiha Lee, founder and co-chair of Sazze Partners; Changwon Kim, strategic director; and Sunghoon Kim, representative lawyer of Mission Law Firm and head of UKF Korea.

UKF is a global Korean entrepreneur community formed by the integration of '82Startups', a Korean startup group in Silicon Valley, and the Korean founder network in New York. The event proceeded with the official launch announcement of UKF Korea and the presentation of its future vision. Attendees also engaged in networking sessions where entrepreneurs, investors, and company representatives freely interacted.

At the event, co-chair Kiha Lee stated, "What started as a small gathering of entrepreneurs sharing meals and helping each other has become today's UKF," and added, "A startup is the fastest means to change the world. If a virtuous cycle is created where successful Korean entrepreneurs support the next generation, the influence of Koreans in mainstream American society will grow even stronger."

At the 'Seoul Meets UKF' event held at COEX in Seoul on the 19th, Seju Jung, founder of Noom and co-chair of UKF, Kiha Lee, founder and co-chair of Sazze Partners, Changwon Kim, strategic director, and Sunghoon Kim, lead attorney at Mission Law Firm and head of UKF Korea, are responding to questions from attendees. Photo by Daehyun Kim

Strategic director Changwon Kim remarked, "When I attended a Jewish founders' gathering, I was struck by how everyone, from pizza shop owners to founders of multi-billion-dollar companies, celebrated together and supported one another. Koreans, too, should be able to build a larger community that transcends birthplace, English accent, or nationality."

Sunghoon Kim, the inaugural head of UKF Korea, said, "I tell foreign investors that we should invest in Korean people, not just Korea itself. Korea’s strength lies not in technology or capital, but in its people who have ventured out and pioneered new paths even in times of crisis," and added, "Even as the world raises new barriers, Korea must become an open nation that dreams of a broader world. We aim to be a community that not only brings together entrepreneurs, but also inspires the next generation to dream globally."

UKF Korea plans to focus on building a global entrepreneur network, conducting policy research, and developing next-generation educational programs as its main initiatives. In particular, it intends to strengthen its role as a platform connecting domestic founders and investors to the U.S. and other global markets.

Plans were also announced for a major project called 'KOOM (Dream)', to be held in New York this year. UKF stated, "Last year's event attracted 13,000 visitors, featured 64 speakers, and had participation from 40 booths," and explained, "This year, we plan to expand the event to include a startup competition, pop-up stores, and concerts."

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