Governor Choo Meets Michigan Governor: "Toward a Global Future Mobility Alliance"

On September 14, Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae met with Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer at the Gyeonggi Provincial Government Office. The two leaders agreed to expand cooperation in next-generation industries, including automotive and mobility sectors, and expressed their shared commitment to elevating both regions into a global alliance for future mobility.

The meeting was attended by Governor Whitmer, Dave Coulter, Oakland County Executive, Zack Pohl, Chief of Staff in the Michigan Governor’s Office, and Rachel Donaldson, Managing Director of the Global Business Attraction at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, along with other delegates from Michigan who visited Korea to attract investment.

This marks the first time since taking office that Governor Choo has officially received a delegation from a sister region. During the meeting, the two governors shared updates on key industries and areas of interest, and discussed ways to strengthen collaboration between companies and institutions in critical fields such as automotive and mobility, semiconductors, batteries, and power supply & energy storage systems (ESS).

Governor Choo stated, "Gyeonggi Province and Michigan have been key partners, building deep friendship and trust over the past 15 years. If we combine Michigan's strengths in automotive and manufacturing—its hardware—with Gyeonggi Province's strengths in semiconductors, batteries, and software—our brainpower—we can jointly lead the technological standards and supply chains of the global future mobility market."

She further added, "I hope Gyeonggi Province and Michigan can rise together as a 'Global Future Mobility Alliance.' We aim to establish a practical administrative cooperation framework that provides close support for businesses entering each other's markets and investors—including sharing essential information, resolving on-site challenges, and assisting with the permitting process. I also look forward to expanding exchanges not only among businesses, but also between universities, research institutions, and young talents in both regions."

Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae (right) is taking a commemorative photo with Gretchen Whitmer, Governor of Michigan, who visited the Gyeonggi Provincial Government Office on the 14th. Provided by Gyeonggi Province

In response, Governor Whitmer said, "Michigan and Gyeonggi Province are ready to build industries together, share expertise, and shape the future. Michigan has a reliable supply chain, state-of-the-art manufacturing technology, and the highest ratio of engineers to population in the United States," she emphasized.

She continued, "We hope to share these strengths with Korean partners to create new opportunities for people in both regions. We will continue to collaborate closely and lead innovation on both sides of the globe."

Governor Choo also expressed her affinity with Governor Whitmer by drawing parallels between them. She said, "We share many similarities: we are both former legal professionals who value principles, female leaders responsible for the futures of our regions, and individuals who do not compromise in the face of powerful authority or political pressure."

Michigan, centered around Detroit, has long been a flagship industrial hub driving the U.S. automotive industry. More recently, building on its manufacturing foundation, the state has expanded its competitiveness into next-generation sectors such as future mobility, semiconductors, life sciences, batteries, energy storage systems (ESS), drones, and artificial intelligence (AI).

Since signing a memorandum of understanding for friendship and cooperation in 2011, Gyeonggi Province and Michigan have maintained ongoing exchanges for 15 years. In particular, they have strengthened collaboration in the automotive and mobility fields, and currently, a wide variety of Gyeonggi-based companies in automotive, semiconductors, batteries, and related sectors are operating in Michigan.

Through this meeting, Gyeonggi Province plans to further solidify its existing partnership with Michigan and to identify practical areas for cooperation that companies and institutions from both regions can pursue together.

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