Krafton’s Montreal Studio and Samsung’s AI Investment Highlight Growing Korea-Canada Ties
Montreal is turning to South Korea for inspiration and strategic partnerships as the Canadian metropolis intensifies its efforts to strengthen its global economic and cultural influence under its new leadership.
“The core question we explored was: How can we learn from a community that prioritizes culture and leverages it as a key driver for economic growth?” stated Isabelle Dessureault, CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal (CCMM), in an interview with The Korea Herald in Seoul on Tuesday.
“South Korea stands out as a prime example of successfully integrating culture into its economic development strategy over the past three decades. The decisions made here to place culture at the heart of the economic plan are truly inspiring.”
Dessureault emphasized that Montreal Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada, who assumed office in November, is actively working to revitalize the city’s vision as a global cultural hub.
A delegation of over 50 individuals from Montreal, including local government officials and business leaders, is currently visiting Seoul and Busan as part of Mayor Ferrada’s inaugural international mission.
“Forecasts indicate that the Indo-Pacific region, including South Korea, will account for 70 percent of global growth in the next five years,” Dessureault noted. “We believe that Montreal and Seoul share a common thread – the infusion of creativity into business ventures.”
Korean gaming powerhouse Krafton established its first game development studio in Montreal in 2023, drawn by the city’s thriving gaming ecosystem and skilled talent pool. Behaviour Interactive, the studio behind the globally successful multiplayer horror game Dead by Daylight, is also based in Montreal.
In addition to its vibrant gaming sector, the CCMM CEO highlighted Montreal’s strong capabilities in artificial intelligence, citing Samsung’s AI research center, which has been operating in the city since 2018.
“A key priority for the Chamber is to support our businesses in diversifying their markets,” Dessureault explained. “We see (Korea) as a market ripe for investment, where we can dedicate time, resources, and engagement to foster new business opportunities and deals.”
Highlighting Montreal’s status as the world’s third-largest aerospace hub, largely due to the significant presence of aircraft manufacturer Boeing, she pointed to shared strengths between Montreal and Korea in the defense sector.
Regarding the ongoing competition between Korea and Germany for Canada’s $40 billion submarine contract, Dessureault suggested that the bidder offering a more comprehensive ecosystem of small- and medium-sized enterprises and university partnerships is most likely to secure the deal.
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