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A state economic developer credited with clinching billions of dollars in Korean investment into Georgia has transitioned to the private sector.
Yoonie Kim, the former director of Korean investment at the Georgia Department of Economic Development, in June joined Montreal-based engineering services firm AtkinsRéalis as director of foreign investment for the U.S. and Mexico.
Capitalizing on her experience with the state, where she’s credited with helping win 130 projects including the $5.5 billion Hyundai plant near Savannah, Ms. Kim will expand the firm’s work in the industrial sector by attracting projects from Korea, Japan and China.
“Yoonie is highly respected by companies and governments alike. She bolsters our already successful Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) market and fits exceptionally well with our accelerated industrial market growth strategy,” said Steve Morriss, president of the U.S., Latin America, and Minerals & Metals at AtkinsRéalis.
Ms. Kim has been shouted out by high-ranking officials on multiple occasions for her work in the state during the largely automotive-driven Korean investment boom over the last 18 years, including by Gov. Brian Kemp in his 2023 State of the State address and in accepting the Korea Society’s Van Fleet Award on behalf of the economic development department.
CJ Foodville President Tony Hunsoo Ahn also praised Ms. Kim for her role in landing his $47 million bakery project in a commentary for Global Atlanta.
In her new capacity, Ms. Kim in August joined a panel discussion on corporate social responsibility at the inaugural Republic of Korea – Southeast U.S. Economic Partnership Conference. Read more from that event here: Southeast U.S. Summit: For Korean Investment Wave to Keep Rolling, Firms Need Policy Continuity, Talent Access
Citing the White House, AtkinsRéalis noted that $200 billion in foreign investment has come into the U.S. since 2021, though other recent figures show FDI receding in the countr during 2023.
Find out more about Ms. Kim’s appointment in the firm’s news release.
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