KOTRA has launched an all-out support system for South Korea's auto parts makers, holding back-to-back business meetings in the United States and Japan to help domestic suppliers break into local supply chains as they grapple with weak demand at home.
At a meeting held on the 13th in Detroit, the heartland of the U.S. auto industry, 41 Korean auto parts makers held a total of 198 one-on-one export consultations with 32 companies, including major North American automakers General Motors, Ford and Stellantis, as well as tier-one suppliers.
According to KOTRA, GM cited the use of artificial intelligence and the level of automation in production processes as key criteria when selecting new suppliers. Stellantis actively sought partners capable of collaborating from the early stages of development.
Items in high procurement demand included metal processing such as press forming, forging and casting; powertrain components such as drivetrains and electric drive axles; body and chassis parts; and electrical components such as wire harnesses, connectors and busbars.
Ten regional parts makers that took part in the event — seven from South Gyeongsang Province and three from Daejeon — went on to serve as a trade mission in Atlanta and Toronto after Detroit, seeking to open additional export channels.
KOTRA also held the "2026 Inside Honda" showcase on the 15th at Honda's research and development center in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan, together with Gyeonggi Technopark and Busan Technopark. The event was arranged to support collaboration with Honda, following a similar program with Aisin in September, as Japanese automakers show interest in supply chain cooperation with Korean parts makers.
Officials from Honda's purchasing and development divisions, along with representatives of its tier-one and tier-two suppliers, attended in person to view the Korean companies' product showcase and held about 50 one-on-one business consultations.
In a separate technology presentation session, eight Korean companies with proprietary technologies presented their capabilities to the Honda attendees.
"Established export mainstays such as auto parts are areas where our competitiveness has been proven, and an era of technological hegemony and supply chain realignment can work as an opportunity," KOTRA President Kang Kyung-sung said. "We will focus in particular on on-site support so that regional small and mid-sized companies can enter global supply chains and achieve tangible export results."