2025 Honored Country – South Korea
2025 International Salute To South Korea
In 2025 Memphis in May International Festival in partnership with the Greater Memphis Chamber is excited to salute South Korea.
Memphis in May International Festival and the Greater Memphis Chamber announced South Korea as the 2025 honored country, highlighting the growing economic partnership between Memphis and one of Asia’s largest economies.
The selection celebrates South Korea’s increasing presence in the Greater Memphis region, where investments have surpassed $85 million since 2019. This commitment has already created 400 new jobs through innovative companies such as SK Innovation, HMM American Shipping, and Hyosung HICO.
Leading this wave of investment, Hyosung HICO exemplifies the strength of Korean enterprises in Memphis. The company’s state-of-the-art power transformer manufacturing facility has not only created high-skilled jobs but also demonstrated why Memphis continues to attract major Korean businesses seeking to expand their U.S. operations.
The selection of South Korea reflects Memphis’s strong trade relationships with Asia. Last year alone, South Korea accounted for 40% of the region’s total exports, valued at $7.1 billion. This economic foundation provides an excellent launching pad for expanded business opportunities and cultural exchange throughout 2025.
The Chamber will coordinate a comprehensive schedule of events throughout 2025. This schedule includes economic development delegations between Memphis and South Korea, cultural exhibitions, and business networking opportunities.
Continuing a cherished tradition, the Chamber has partnered with ARTSmemphis to commission the 2025 Memphis in May commemorative poster celebrating South Korea. ARTSmemphis, which has distributed over $100 million in arts funding over 61 years, will invite their artist grantees to submit proposals for the poster design, which will be unveiled in spring 2025.
The Chamber and Memphis in May will announce additional details about the year-long celebration and economic initiatives in the coming months.
Greater Memphis Chamber leading International Programming
Building on a partnership spanning nearly 50 years, the Greater Memphis Chamber will lead all international, economic development, and diplomatic activities for Memphis in May International Festival, including the annual selection of an honored country.
The Memphis in May Board of Directors unanimously voted in August 2023 to accept a proposal from Chamber President & CEO Ted Townsend and give the region’s lead economic development organization the authority to coordinate the international affairs of the festival. Memphis in May has saluted a country each year since 1977, when it chose to honor Japan.
