Breaking a 1.5-Year Vacancy, Lee Daehee Embarks on Business Trips to Japan and the US
Simultaneously Promoting Regional Venture Ecosystem Revitalization
VC Industry Expects an Environment Aligned with Global Standards
Lee Daehee, CEO of Korea Venture Investment (KVIC), who is now entering his second month in office, is accelerating network expansion and investment attraction by visiting global sites in rapid succession. After filling the CEO vacancy for the first time in about a year and six months, he is invigorating the global expansion of Korean innovative and venture companies through active overseas business trips.
Lee Daehee, CEO of Korea Venture Investment, is speaking at the inauguration press conference held on May 26. Korea Venture Investment
According to the investment banking (IB) industry on July 2, Lee is attending Japan’s largest startup conference, 'IVS 2025,' held in Kyoto, Japan, from July 2 to July 5. To expand Korean startups’ entry into Japan and attract more investment, he is directly organizing IR (investor relations) and networking opportunities on site, and holding business discussions with Japanese venture capital (VC) firms. IVS, held annually since 2007, brings together key IT companies, startups, and VC officials from Japan, other Asian countries, and the Japanese government to discuss innovative technologies and startup ecosystem trends.
Previously, from June 8 to June 15, he visited major North American cities including New York, Washington DC, and Silicon Valley. During this first overseas trip since his inauguration, Lee checked the progress of establishing an East Coast office and expanding the West Coast Silicon Valley office. Korea Venture Investment is working to open its fifth overseas office on the East Coast by October, while also planning to use the Silicon Valley office as an integrated hub for supporting innovative and venture companies. He also met with VCs and overseas institutions to discuss future operational strategies. These efforts are interpreted as aiming to broaden the pathway for Korean innovative and venture companies to enter the US market and to further strengthen the global investment network.
At the inauguration press conference held in May, Lee emphasized, "I will actively consider and support ways to strengthen the global competitiveness of domestic innovative and venture companies, as well as VCs, and to expand their entry into overseas markets."
Lee’s global activities are raising expectations in the venture investment industry. An industry official said, "Supporting the global expansion of VCs and startups is also a key task for the VC Association, so we view this positively," adding, "We expect Lee to play a significant role in communicating with the relevant ministries to align various regulations and standards related to overseas investment attraction and 'offshore funds' with global standards."
Lee, a graduate of Seoul National University’s business administration department, passed the 37th Higher Civil Service Examination and has served as Director General of Economic Structural Reform at the Ministry of Strategy and Finance, Director General of Small Business Policy, and Director General of SME Policy at the Ministry of SMEs and Startups.
Meanwhile, Lee is also focusing on domestic business trips to revitalize regional venture investment. He recently visited major local cities such as Busan, held meetings with stakeholders in the regional venture ecosystem, and explored ways to support the growth of region-based startups.
Earlier, Lee stated, "The regional economy is increasingly lagging behind the Seoul metropolitan area. The way to revive the regional economy is to restore and activate the innovation ecosystem," adding, "To this end, we will actively promote the 'Regional Era Venture Fund' in cooperation with local governments."
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