Archive for Don Southerton

South Korea’s Songdo leading the way in bio-pharma

South Korea's Songdo leading the way in bio-pharma

A sector near Samsung Biologics’ Bio Campus 1 within the Songdo Bio Cluster in Incheon (IFEZ)

South Korea’s Songdo is leading the way in bio-pharma…The Korea Herald notes…” Songdo Bio Cluster in Incheon, where the biopharmaceutical production capacity has reached 1.2 million liters, the world’s largest followed by Massachusetts, San Francisco and Singapore, according to officials from the 

South Korea’s growing biopharmaceutical production capacity is increasingly making the country an attractive investment destination for global life science companies, industry sources said Thursday.

Songdo has successfully created an ecosystem for the bio-industry over the past few years, and it is now home to numerous international bio companies, with Korean biopharmaceutical giant Samsung Biologics being the key driving factor.

Full article Korea’s CMO ramp-up lures biotech investors

Tip of the Iceberg

Tip of the Iceberg

I have been fortunate throughout my career to receive extensive media coverage in both Korean and Western publications. I feel a major contributing factor is that as a consultant I cover and am engaged in Korean business.

I have a lot to say, and many people seek out my perspective. In fact, in just the past 6 months, I’ve contributed to Korea Times, CNBC, Branding in Asia, Haps Magazine, and Sisajournal-e.com, not to mention releasing a new book and multiple press releases.

Topics often vary — Hyundai, Startup Ecosystems, EV and Critical Minerals, Smart Cities, and insights into the ever-changing Korean business culture.

So why “Tip of the Iceberg?”
As a prolific writer, I enjoy sharing my perspective, but only a fraction of my insights are shared, like the tip of an iceberg.

It’s in my consulting work that I explore the difficulties that companies and teams encounter in greater detail. I have decades of experience providing solutions and workarounds.

All said, for those who follow my commentaries and writings as well as acquaintances — Have a request for an article? — please let me know.
Have a question or opportunity… let’s talk.

Don

Smart Cities: A Tale of Innovation and Collaboration in South Korea

Smart Cities

Don Southerton takes a look at smart city development in South Korea.

https://www.brandinginasia.com/smart-cities-a-tale-of-innovation-and-collaboration-in-south-korea/

Smart Cities

Over the past nearly 20 years, I have been engaged in Smart Cities. This work has involved various Smart City projects. The first was the Songdo International Business District in Incheon, South Korea, and more recently—cutting-edge Smart City Platforms.

The concept of “Smart City” is an emerging technology that many local governments see as the future; however, few municipalities have a solid roadmap.

The term “Smart City” can be defined differently. Some envision a green and sustainable community that offers a life-work balance and implements cutting-edge technologies to achieve these benefits.

For example, Songdo, on the West coast of South Korea was built on reclaimed land and covers roughly 1500 Acres. Today, Songdo is a community of 167,000 residents located within one of three Free Economic Zones (IFEZ) in Incheon, South Korea. The project has been approximately 86% completed. Aside from residential areas, the location is also home to a Global Campus, Pharma Hub, Startup Center, and international organizations such as the Green Climate Fund.

Songdo’s development aimed to create an integrated 15-minute city, where people can access 90% of their daily activities by bike or public transportation in fifteen minutes or less.

In Songdo, traffic sensor data is utilized to regulate signal timing on the technical front, while household waste is directly transported from homes to waste processing centers through underground tubes.

Additionally, various apps assist residents in managing their daily lives providing them with information on bus schedules or checking on parking availability in the area.

That said, since these innovative systems were first offered, many new smartphone apps are now available across Korea and provide these and other digital services.

Today, there is a continuing effort to foster the development of Songdo as an urban district under the Incheon Free Economic Zone (IFEZ).

Dr. Won Sok Yun, who has been named the new Commissioner of the IFEZ) notes, “Over the next three years, I will aim to attract foreign and domestic investment in pharma and healthcare, tourism and leisure, and high-tech industries to create a ‘world-class city’.”

Smart City Platform

Recently, we are seeing the adoption of Smart City Platforms. These provide an integrated Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) platform. Plus, they offer municipalities some innovative urban solutions.

With the help of the Internet of Things (IoT) and AI, cities can enhance their emergency and fire response, traffic management, sanitation services, and facility maintenance. I’d add that it’s a tool for urban development and revitalization, and in some cases can enhance a city’s security.

Seoul, South Korea’s Smart City Platform is an example of successful integration. The system was developed between 2017 and 2019 to provide various services, including sophisticated drone defense monitoring.

The platform has been highlighted at recent Consumer Electronics Shows (CES) and gained global attention when it was modified during the COVID-19 pandemic to track real-time virus outbreaks.

In January 2024, neighboring Incheon’s Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok was quoted, “Building a smart city is a global challenge that all cities worldwide should aspire…. in collaboration with leading global companies and cities that possess state-of-the-art technology related to smart city construction.”

I agree that developing “Smart Cities” will require collaboration between private tech companies and local government. The mayor envisions building “eco-friendly smart cities centered around people’s needs.” This will address concerns about the ambiguous nature of the “Smart City” identity, which may mean different things to different groups.

The bottom line is that in discussions centered on “Smart Cities,” I suggest there is no one exact definition, however, the goal should be improved quality of public services and citizen welfare.

Incheon

Incheon is a city located on the northwest coast of South Korea and is home to a population of about 3 million people. Its suburbs are situated on the outskirts of Seoul.

Moreover, Incheon is home to South Korea’s primary international airport, the Incheon International Airport, serving as a gateway to northeast Asia.

IFEZ

In 2003, the Incheon Free Economic Zone (IFEZ) was designated as Korea’s first free economic zone. Within the Zone are three districts– Songdo, Cheongna, and Yeongjong International City.

Over the past 20 years, IFEZ has grown significantly and developed into a global city currently home to more than 400,000 residents, 3,300 businesses, 14 international organizations, and renowned foreign universities.

Don Southerton takes a look at smart city development in South Korea

https://www.brandinginasia.com/smart-cities-a-tale-of-innovation-and-collaboration-in-south-korea/

The 2024 Korean Sisa Journal-e.com Start-up Conference

Heads up– I am a keynote speaker at the 2024 Korea’s Sisa Journal-e.com Start-up Conference this week.

My topic–The Ecosystem of Global and Korean Start-ups: Risk, and the Shift in Startup Mindset.

I’m joining an amazing lineup of guest speakers talking on: the electric vehicle market, the Unmanned Exploration Research Institute Space robotics, and The role of climate tech in achieving carbon neutrality.

The event will be held in Seoul at 10 AM, March 20 KST, and shared Live via this YouTube link.

Later this week, I’ll post my presentation.

Questions? Just ask.

South Korea Aerotropolis–Air City and Incheon Free Economic Zone

Site Selection Magazine just posted an article on the Incheon Airport City and the Incheon Free Economic Zone (IFEZ)South Korea Aerotropolis leads the world in the combined magnitude, range, and quality of commercial investment in both its airport city core and peripheral business and urban clusters. Its planning and development epitomize the principles of “thinking big, acting fast, and doing it right.” 

South Korea Aerotropolis--Air City and Incheon Free Economic Zone

International Business Centre 1 (IBC-I) was designed to reinforce air traffic demand, boost airport commercial revenues and improve the operational efficiencies throughout the broader Incheon Aerotropolis. Image courtesy of Incheon International Airport Corporation

Link to Site Selection article https://siteselection.com/issues/2024/mar/incheon-airport-city-is-tops.cfm

Questions? Comments? dsoutherton@bridgingculture.com

South Korea’s Free Economic Zone (IFEZ) Newsletter

South Korea’s Free Economic Zone (IFEZ)
Photo courtesy of IFEZ

South Korea’s Free Economic Zone (IFEZ) Newsletter shares how the district has positioned itself as the global hub for future industries such as bio-healthcare, smart manufacturing, high-tech finance and future robots, information and communication (IT), and artificial intelligence (AI) while making great strides as a hub for distribution, logistics, tourism, and MICE. #songdo

Please check out our Newsletter https://stibee.com/api/v1.0/emails/share/lp9zm4qG0yY9K45_RHds5rRVGh3ppNE

Questions? Please ask…. dsoutherton@bridgingculture.com

310–866–3777

Black Mass and Upcycling

Black mass and upcycling. Once a lithium battery reaches the end of its useful life or becomes damaged, the battery pack can be collected, dismantled, and shredded.

The shredded material is then processed to produce what we in the industry call black mass, not be confused with an astrophysics term, or a dark movie on Netflix.

This black mass can consist of high amounts of lithium, manganese, cobalt, and nickel metals. EV batteries use these metals in ratios which we label as NMC 622 or 811–60% nickel, 20 % manganese, and 20% cobalt, or 80% nickel, 10% manganese, and 10% cobalt. [1]

These metals when sent to a facility can be reclaimed from the black mass and in direct recycling reused in new battery production.

Black mass and upcycling
(Image courtesy of Argonne National Laboratory.)

I like to use the term upcycle vs recycle for these materials.

As I wrote in my End-of-Life article, “The Lithium-ion Battery Life Cycle: Mandates, Sustainability, Recycling, Recovery,” compared with the West, Asia — specifically China and Korea have been at the forefront in recovery and re-use — reclaiming batteries’ black mass.

I reported in 2021, “… with strong encouragement from the Korean government, many of the nation’s top groups are actively engaged in some form of end-of-life program. For example, Korean steel producer POSCO, looks to import waste battery scraps concentrated in a powdered form from Europe. Likewise, the Hyundai Motor Group, SK Innovation, and LG Chem all have programs to ensure used batteries have second-life applications, or are recycled and metals such as Lithium, Nickel, and Cobalt are recovered. These programs made lots of sense, as Korea is one of the world’s largest producers and innovators of Lithium-ion EV batteries — with accordingly a high demand for these raw materials.”

Fast forward…

This trend has shifted with new incentives for North American battery recovery.

For one, the U.S. government has mandates to shore up batteries among the nation’s key strategic interests. Second, the government looks to make the U.S. more competitive in the battery market.

These programs include the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and other funding under the Biden Administration such as The Energy Act of 2020, and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), which, together with the IRA, offer billions of dollars to the Department of Energy (DoE) funded government programs.

These monies do come with some restrictions.

Specifically, under the Inflation Reduction Act, vehicles that use batteries that contain (i) any “applicable critical minerals” that were extracted, processed, or recycled by an FEOC [ or (ii) any component manufactured or assembled by an FEOC would be ineligible for the $7,500 Section 30D consumer tax credit (Sec. 13401(e)(7)) starting after 2023.

A FEOC is defined as a Foreign Entity of Concern and, with reference, to the IRA, a Chinese company or entity controlled by a Chinese firm.

These prohibitions take effect in 2024 for EV battery components and in 2025 for “applicable critical minerals.”

A Question.

In a recently attended EV battery panel, I raised a question, “Will we, like in the EU, see more regulations for End of Life?” [For example, the new EU regulations will over the next few years, mandate minimum levels of recycled content in batteries, noting end-of-life batteries contain many valuable resources and these critical raw materials must be reused instead of relying on third countries for supplies.]

The panel’s consensus was that unlike the EU and their use of widespread regulations; the thought was for the U.S. to continue to use more of a carrot approach — incentivizing reclaiming battery materials. Something we can see in a range of DOE grants now being offered.

In closing,

One final takeaway the driver for reclaiming black mass is sustainable profitability. The critical metals, NMC, for example in the black mass in this form have a value that may or may not be competitive against new widespread sourcing of the rare materials.

That said, when the reclaimed key materials are further refined and separated from the black mass their value increases 3-fold, and even further new processes increase the value 6 times.

I have also read that these refinements in the reclaiming process can result in improvement in the very EV battery life span, battery density, and range… all of which add considerably to what I see as “Upcycling”.

About the Author.

Mr. Southerton provides strategy, consulting, and training to Korea-based global businesses.

This includes long-time support of many of the major Korean Groups including the Hyundai Motor Group, SK Corp., and LG.

He also has supported Korean market entry for several innovative small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Most recently Southerton has been engaged in the mobility, electrification, and the battery sector.

On related issues, Southerton has been a contributor to CNBCThe Economist, Automotive News, the BBC, CNN Fortune, Korea Times, Yonhap, tbs eFM, Wall Street Journal, and Forbes.

[1] Most EVs today use either lithium-ion NMC, NCA (Aluminum), or lithium-ferrous LFP chemistry batteries. There are advantages and disadvantages.LFP: lower cost, lower density, higher discharge cycles; and NMC/NCA: higher cost, higher density, lower discharge cycles. Regardless they all contain ametals that are reclaimable.

Korean Business: Challenges and Solutions 50 Workplace Hints, #2 Managing Expectations

I am often asked to assist with Korea-facing business ventures. This can be a North American firm just entering the Korean market or a Western company already with operations in Korea.

Too, I am also asked to support top Korean Groups with their overseas operations.

Most often Korean and Western senior leadership teams did a great job of gaining mutual trust. Both negotiated well. The deal is signed and it’s time to perform.

Sadly, the honeymoon is over. Challenges arise, and what appeared to be clear expectations can now seem murky with poor alignment and weak communications. Why?

There are several reasons. One is that teams that meet, bond, and negotiate are seldom the ones doing the work. The teams on both sides that crafted the deal are better skilled in global business. The teams doing the work are talented, but usually less skilled in local affairs.

Many Westerners have no recent experience working with Koreans, and the Korean teams have limited experience working with North America.

A caveat to this is that many of the Korean teams are bright, but very junior, new to the workplace, and tend to be generalists, while Western teams are comprised of highly specialized industry veterans.

So, what’s the solution?

Frankly, in our experience, the most successful firms show great leadership and vision. They also recognize both sides will need constant ongoing support and training.

Expecting the teams to “get it” seldom works — and if it does it takes time, is costly, and contributes to stress, poor productivity, and even employee turnover. Expecting non-Koreans to understand Korean culture, business models, and workplace expectations is like throwing someone into a pool and assuming they will swim, not sink.

That said, a huge mistake is hiring an industry consulting firm without a full understanding of the specific challenges and cross-cultural issues. In many cases, they fail to get to the root of the problem(s) and expectations are never fully clarified. Issues will surface. Things will get worse.

To conclude,

In dealing with partnerships, I understand the huge stress loads within Korean-based firms. Teams need to perform. Partners will also be expected to perform. Clear, well-communicated expectations and cross-cultural understanding from the beginning are vital, along with a strong business plan and strategy.

Need a solution, I am here on-call with practical workarounds and seasoned experience in overcoming the challenges. Waiting only adds layers and costs.

Text 310–866–3777 

Dsoutherton@bridgingculture.com

Why we need Korean business cultural training

Why we need Korean business cultural training. My “no punches pulled” Q and A. Targeted cross-cultural support and coaching are necessary for local teams to succeed in working with overseas Korean business projects.

By Don Southerton

Q. Why do we need Korean cultural training?

A. This may be the first time working with a Korean team. This opportunity brings with it great opportunity and the need to better understand the new partner’s culture, workplace norms, and expectations.

In most cases, Western teams will interact with Korean HQ and expatriate teams. Some of the teams will hold a line managerial position with day-to-day responsibilities alongside Western managers, while others will hold key management C-level positions, such as CEO, COO, or CFO. In many, if not most, cases, these teams may operate as a “shadow management” with considerable oversight and operational control over local operations.

With the best of intentions, the Korean teams will look to build strong collaboration and teamwork and try to avoid a sense of us and them. However, they do bring Korean work norms that can conflict with Western work-life balance and Western working methods. 

More so, Korean teams may make seemingly one-sided decisions with the company’s best interest in mind but without consulting local teams, causing mistrust.

A solid training and coaching program followed by ongoing support can address differences, such as sharing work styles, hierarchy, and comfort levels, plus providing workarounds.

Q. What are some typical issues that arise, especially without training or coaching?

A. As with all individuals, no two of us are alike –and the same goes for Westerners and Koreans… Each has their unique strengths, skills, experiences, and personalities.

Expecting local teams to “get it” without support and training seldom works. Even if a better understanding of the work culture eventually occurs over time, this “learn as you go” approach is costly, contributing to stress, poor productivity, and even employee turnover. Sadly, the most common mistake I see is waiting to see if tensions rise, and workers quit before acting. 

 Q. Can you cite an example of misunderstandings resulting in mistrust, loss of time, resources, and profits?

A. A challenge I was recently asked to address was the intervention by the expatriate partners in decisions that are best handled by local Western teams.

Probing the issue, I learned that based on extensive experience in the market and industry, the local Western management felt these decisions were often short-sighted, reactive, and not aligned with their well-thought-out strategy. Some saw it as a “cut twice, measure once” approach and “ready, fire, aim.” 

Of even more significant concern were one-sided decisions not resulting from the collaboration. In any case, local management felt their input and expertise were being marginalized. As pressure to meet HQ expectations, avoid any negative news, as well as missing Sales or Production “Targets” they saw increased intervention by the expatriate teams.

In this case, I worked with the Western teams to provide some proven workarounds, particularly tempering the Korean teams’ pressing for immediate results.

Specifically, I shared ten steps.

1. To soften jumping to implement a stop-gap plan with hopes of producing immediate results, look to minimize the anxiety for both the local Korean team and the headquarters team. Please be sure to show confidence that the challenge can be overcome.

2. Acknowledge your team’s high engagement and assure the Korean teams that action will be taken promptly.

3. As a next step upon receiving a directive from Korea, have an informal discussion with local Korean teams to brief them on action steps that enable the team to work through what needs to be explored more deeply.

4. Follow up with email correspondence confirming the verbal discussion.

5. Allow a day or two for the Korean team to review your action plan. In many cases, the Korean teams are not familiar with local practices and the vocabulary used to describe Western technical nuances.

The local expat teams may also want to report back to Korea on progress. HQ leadership is ultimately responsible, so the better informed they are, the more trust they will have in local teams — Korean and Western — that the project will progress.

6. Remember that you may receive only some feedback promptly because of time differences.

7. Conducting informal daily updates to the Korean teams and sharing the steps undertaken with the local Koreans can also be helpful.

8. Even better is reporting positive accomplishments in your review process.

9. It is essential to address the potential trade-offs and risks as action steps leading to solutions and assuring the team that these steps will not impede the project and may, in fact, avoid costly setbacks.

10. Finally, having said all this, maintaining trust through strong relationships between Korean and Western local organizations is essential.

Q. What have Koreans told you about Americans? Work habits, commitment, etc.

A. If you ask Korean expats how they perceive Americans and Westerners in general, responses would be very positive and respectful, especially toward Western work ethics and work habits. Koreans see great value in American and Western teams providing them with new insights, perspectives, and best practices.

A. What might be covered in Korean business culture training?

I see the training as twofold — 1) providing teams with an understanding of the Korean partner’s affiliate company history, heritage ( challenges overcome), trends, and expectations! , and 2) sharing the Korean workplace and its norms, practices, and workarounds. One nuance I share is that Korean overseas operations can differ from those in Korea, something I am most familiar with. 

Above all, a best practice is to celebrate similarities and shared values when possible, along with instilling an awareness of and respect for cultural differences.

Addressing the team’s questions and concerns is also vital with issues, such as work-life balance, safety and quality processes and procedures, and Korean partners’ overall expectations.

Q. Anything else?

A. To conclude, the need for cross-cultural training programs for local employees and management is a high priority.

The assumption that local and expatriate teams can bridge cultural gaps through practical on–the–job experience might work with those few highly intuitive individuals with the exceptional ability to assimilate cultures.

What stands out in numerous studies, however, is the need for ongoing multicultural training, that can successfully impact people, especially those who need to quickly adapt to new or changing business culture and values, while fostering sensitivity and teamwork among all company members.

Finally, I have found a tiered service model — training, mentoring, and ongoing strategic support- to be the most effective approach for an organization. For leadership, they most often benefit from one-on-one coaching, too.

Don Southerton

Rise of Kia: Part 2 Brisa

The Hyundai Motor Group has posted some wonderful images of a 1970s Kia Brisa. Last week in Part 1 of my “Rise of Kia” I shared the launch of the Brisa. Part 2 provides some more details on its success.

In the fall of 1974, the first Kia Brisa S-1000 four-door sedans rolled off the Sohari production line. ( A year earlier they had begun production of the Brisa pickup).

Overall the Brisa sedan was a success with 75,987 sold between 1974 and 1981.

In conjunction with the manufacturing of the Brisa sedan and Brisa pickup, Kia Motors also produced the vehicles’ 1-liter gas engines.

While the competition sourced engines from their foreign partners, this marked the first Korean company to manufacture its engines. In the first year of production, 65 percent of the parts in the Brisa, including the engine, drive shaft, and clutch, were manufactured in Korea. This local sourcing was strongly encouraged by the Korean Government and the ratio of locally produced parts increased steadily over the years.

Kia Motors would grow into Korea’s second-largest carmaker and would experience both international success and its demise under the 1997 financial crash —the latter leading to a “second chance” under parent company Hyundai Motor.

Source: Hyundai and Kia Motors The Early Years and Product Development  Author Don Southerton