May 26, 2026
SEOUL – South Korea’s rapid industrial rise after the Korean War could serve as a blueprint for Ukraine’s reconstruction, according to Vitaliy Kim, governor of Ukraine’s Mykolaiv region.
In an interview with The Korea Herald, Kim said Ukraine is looking to South Korea for investment, industrial technology and long-term strategic cooperation as it prepares for a recovery effort estimated at over $588 billion.
“As an example, I want to see the model of South Korea in the 1970s, when they imported technology and rebuilt the economy based on heavy industry and manufacturing,” Kim said.
Kim, who met with major South Korean conglomerates including Hyundai, Samsung, LG and K-Water during his visit, said that local firms have shown openness and willingness to support his country’s recovery.
The governor highlighted opportunities in nuclear energy cooperation, including South Korea’s APR-1400 reactor technology and Daewoo Engineering & Construction’s previous involvement in projects linked to Mykolaiv.
Kim also pointed to Ukraine’s digital governance system as an area where Korean businesses and policymakers may underestimate Ukrainian capabilities.
“Ukraine is a very digital country,” he said, noting that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy established the Ministry of Digital Transformation in 2019.
“We do almost everything on smartphones now — passports, payments, licenses and government services,” Kim said. “We are fighting corruption in this way.”
Defense cooperation and North Korea
“South Korea’s presence in Ukraine is very necessary,” Kim said. “North Korean soldiers were involved in this war on the side of Russia, and they are learning modern warfare and battlefield technologies.”
He warned that Pyongyang could gain military advantages from combat experience and technological transfers linked to the war.
“This issue is underestimated,” Kim said. “At first they were clumsy, but later they learned from the Russians how to operate in modern warfare.”
Kim argued that South Korea should deepen cooperation with Ukraine in defense technology, particularly in drones and battlefield management systems, saying the war has transformed the nature of modern combat.
“The role of drones is much higher than ever before,” he said.
According to Kim, Ukraine has developed a combat management system capable of integrating even small drones into real-time battlefield operations, which some international experts believe could eventually be adopted within NATO frameworks.
“You will not waste your time if you start cooperating with Ukraine in the military sphere,” he said. “It would be useful and timely.”
Strategic location
The governor described Mykolaiv as a strategically important hub for Korean investors due to its industrial legacy, maritime infrastructure and geographic location.
“Mykolaiv has huge industrial potential,” Kim said.
During the Soviet era, Mykolaiv built major naval vessels, including the hull that later became China’s first aircraft carrier, Liaoning, as well as submarines, icebreakers and warships.
Kim said Ukraine’s location and investment incentives could position the country as a manufacturing and logistics base for Korean firms targeting European markets.
“It is much better to manufacture in Ukraine than in (other parts of ) Europe because Europe is much more expensive in terms of labor and taxes,” he said.
Ukraine currently offers investors tax exemptions of up to 10 years, alongside infrastructure support and import duty benefits, according to Kim.
Vitaliy Kim, governor of Ukraine’s Mykolaiv region shows Mykolaiv as a strategic hub for Korean investors due to its industrial legacy, maritime infrastructure and geographic location during an interview with The Korea Herald on Saturday. PHOTO: THE KOREA HERALD
“It will serve as a gateway to Europe as well as nearby markets,” he said.
Kim invited Korean construction and engineering firms to participate directly in rebuilding projects in southern Ukraine, including bridges, airports, ports and shipbuilding facilities.
“We are inviting Korean companies to take part in one of the world’s largest recovery projects,” he said.
Among the priority projects in Mykolaiv are a suspended bridge project, reconstruction of a destroyed airport and modernization of four shipbuilding plants.
Kim added that he would welcome Korean business delegations to visit the region despite wartime restrictions.
“I will ask my government to receive your delegation,” he said. “And I will guarantee safety.”