Las Vegas, Jan 11 (IANS): The chief of the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) said he saw the capabilities and passion of South Korean companies for technology innovation during CES 2025.
"I'm very excited to participate in CES 2025 as an organiser of the largest Korean Pavilion at the world's leading tech show," KOTRA CEO and President Kang Gyeong-seong said in an emailed interview with Yonhap News Agency.
"This year, South Korea had the largest number of exhibitors and won the most Innovation Awards. I could witness our unparalleled commitment to innovation."
A record 1,031 Korean companies participated in CES 2025, which closed on Friday after a four-day run in Las Vegas, out of approximately 4,800 exhibitors from 160 countries.
South Korea ranks third in participation, following the United States with some 1,500 firms and China with 1,300.
South Korean firms excelled in the CES Innovation Awards, securing 162 of the 363 awards presented. Seven companies, including Samsung Electronics Co. and SK Telecom, received the CES Best Innovation Awards.
South Korea was also named a Global Innovation Champion at CES 2025, an honour recognising countries with world-leading technologies addressing global challenges.
KOTRA organised the Korean Pavilion at Eureka Park during CES 2025, supporting 445 startups and IT labs across sectors like lifestyle, digital health and artificial intelligence (AI). The Pavilion provided a platform for these companies to showcase their products and engage with corporate visitors.
"Representatives from global companies showed great interest in the innovations presented by South Korean participants," Kang noted. "I think this reflects the global recognition of our technological capabilities."
He highlighted some notable technologies: an eye-tracking sensor by Eyechip; a drone solution for smartphones by WEFLO; and a generative AI-powered 3D animation program by AiLive.
In particular, he revealed that Eyechip is expected to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) worth $5 million with an undisclosed global tech company.
Over the four days of CES, 40 companies in the Korean Pavilion signed or planned to sign MOUs totalling $30 million, he added.
"KOTRA is committed to ensuring that these innovations showcased at CES lead to export opportunities and global market success," Kang said.