– The Dominican Republic, through the Export and Investment Center (ProDominicana) and the Embassy of the Dominican Republic in Korea, held the business forum “Dominican Republic–Korea Business Forum: Strategic Horizons: Exploring a Land of Opportunities for Korean Companies in the Dominican Republic” in Seoul, South Korea, with the aim of consolidating commercial ties, opening new investment opportunities and strengthening the bilateral relationship with Korea.
The program included a panel of success stories titled “Keys to Korean Investment in the Dominican Republic,” which featured the esteemed ambassador of the Dominican Republic in Korea, Angie Shakira Martínez, Oscar Yim, president and CEO of The Willbes, and Semi Choi, president of the ESD Group.
The meeting began with the opening remarks of H.E. Angie Martínez, Ambassador of the Dominican Republic to South Korea, expressing the importance of starting her tenure in this country with a meeting that signals a clear focus and opportunities to strengthen ties between both nations.
For her part, the executive director of ProDominicana, Biviana Riveiro, was in charge of the main presentation of the forum under the title “Strategic Horizons: Exploring and Launching Opportunities for Korean Companies in the Dominican Republic”, in which she presented the multiple investment opportunities offered by the country in sectors such as manufacturing, renewable energies, mining, tourism, infrastructure, free zones and strategic sectors at an industrial level such as the automotive, aerospace, semiconductor industries, among others.
During his intervention, Riveiro highlighted: “The Dominican Republic is consolidating as a strategic partner in the heart of the Caribbean, with a privileged location, a stable and constantly growing economy, and a favorable legal framework that guarantees security and confidence to foreign investors. Our vision is to build solid bridges that boost bilateral trade and strengthen relations with Korea, a nation that we deeply admire for its innovation and technological development.”
The program included the panel “Keys to the Success of Korean Investment in the Dominican Republic,” moderated by Ambassador Martínez, with the participation of two renowned Korean business leaders: Mr. Oscar Yim, President and CEO of The Willbes, and Mr. Semi Choi, President of ESD Group. Both shared their investment experiences in the Dominican Republic, highlighting the opportunities and advantages that the country offers as a strategic partner in the region in the free trade zone and energy markets respectively, emphasizing the level of the Dominican workforce, business capacity, and the country’s stability.
Likewise, Riveiro pointed out that the accumulated trade between the Dominican Republic and South Korea, in the period January-August 2025, reached US$221.5 million, of which Dominican exports totaled US$33.0 million. Among the main exported products are instruments and medical devices (US$13.1 million), surgical threads (US$4.3 million), copper products (US$4.4 million), aluminum and other metallic raw materials (US$3.2 million), processed tobacco (US$1.4 million), as well as plastic articles, leather footwear, juices, fats and vegetable oils.
In turn, trade between both countries accumulated US$2,062.7 million in the 2020-2024 period, with Dominican exports totaling US$581.9 million. This performance, largely driven by high-value shipments such as ferronickel, confirms the country’s ability to diversify and position its offer in high-demand markets like the Korean one.
The meeting took place at the VOCO Hotel Myeongdong, Seoul, where entrepreneurs, investors, and authorities gathered to learn about the strategic advantages of the Dominican Republic as a business hub in the region.
The mission’s agenda included cultural activities related to gastronomy, cinematography, promotion of exportable offerings, and other strategic meetings with key players in the Korean economy, including Mr. Seung Hyeok Lee, Vice President of International Affairs and Alliances at Korean Air, Mr. Nam Ho Kim, Vice President of Global Business Development at SK Innovation E&S; the counterpart agency of ProDominicana in Korea, Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), where it was received by its President, Mr. Kyun Sung Kang, and his delegation; and Messrs. Harrison Ahn and Miryang Lim, from GEMOPIA Invest, among others.
At the same time, the screening of the Dominican film Cuarencena, directed by David Maler, and the Dominican Cigar & Rum Night in Korea activity were held, designed to highlight the quality and international prestige of two of the country’s most emblematic products: tobacco and rum.
Invited by the Korea Development Institute (KDI), the executive director participated in the Global Leadership Program, in which she held important visits to entities and companies such as LG Sciencepark —an open innovation hub that integrates information technology, biotechnology, nanotechnology, new materials, and communications—; the Seoul Energy Dream Center; the Sejong Carbon Neutrality Center; the Robotics Center “Robot Plus Test Field”; the Bank of Korea; the Korea Global Knowledge Exchange and Development Center (GKEDC).
