Incoming Purdue president traveling to South Korea with Gov. Holcomb

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. − Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb and Purdue University president-elect Mung Chiang are going abroad this week to further expand Indiana's economic and academic partnerships.

Chiang will join Holcomb in South Korea, after Holcomb visits Taiwan.

Indiana is no stranger to foreign-owned businesses, as the Hoosier state is home to more than 1,050 of them. This includes 10 from Taiwan and 12 from South Korea.

Holcomb arrived in Taipei Monday morning.

"I couldn’t be more energized to spend this week building new relationships, reinforcing long-time ones and strengthening key sector partnerships with Taiwan and South Korea,” Holcomb said. “This week marks my second trip to South Korea as Governor, and I am also proud to be the first U.S. governor to visit Taiwan since before the COVID-19 pandemic. I’m committed to building an economy of the future with these global partners who are helping propel Indiana forward by creating tomorrow’s businesses, today.”

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Over the next two days, Holcomb, Sec. Chambers and Indiana Economic Development Corporation staff, Purdue University Dean of College of Engineering Mark Lundstrom and chief of staff Alyssa Wilcox were scheduled to visit Taiwan.

Chiang will meet with the delegation in Seoul, South Korea for the following two days. Lundstrom will return to Indiana after departing Taipei.

On Monday and Tuesday, Holcomb and the group planned to meet with the Taiwanese "government officials and business leader," a release from the governor's office said. On Thursday and Friday, they will meet with current and potential future business and U.S. government representatives.

Holcomb planned to make Indiana's commitment to innovation to members of the American Chamber of Commerce a focal point of the trip.

“Purdue University is delighted to be invited as part of the state of Indiana’s delegation led by Governor Holcomb and Secretary Chambers,” Chiang said. “Boilermakers have long-standing academic partnerships with institutions in Taiwan and South Korea, and we look forward to attracting tech companies and jobs to the hard tech corridor in the Hoosier state.”

According to a release, in 2021, 47 foreign-owned businesses committed to locating to or expanding in Indiana. These plans will invest around $3.55 billion in the state, creating jobs with an average pay of $29.57 per hour.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Incoming Purdue president traveling to South Korea with Gov. Holcomb