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Large Korean Company, LG, Sends 45 Executives To Explore Possible Pittsburgh Connections

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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - LG, once called Lucky Goldstar, is one of the largest family-owned multi-national conglomerates in South Korea with a special focus on electronics, appliances, telecommunications, and chemicals.

A delegation of senior LG executives is in Pittsburgh on Monday and Tuesday, exploring an enhanced relationship with the city, its universities, and high tech companies.

"There's a very strong buzz, especially when it comes around global innovation centers, technology, artificial intelligence," Mayor Bill Peduto said when asked about the visit.

"It goes so much beyond robot cars. Everybody is looking at this city as one of the major players within the world," the mayor added.

The visit was initiated by Councilman Dan Gilman of Shadyside through a college roommate.

"Because Pittsburgh is always two degrees of separation, this actually started with a conversation between an old college housemate of mine when I was an undergrad at Carnegie Mellon and a friend of his who happens to work for LG," Gilman told KDKA money editor Jon Delano on Monday.

Over two years, Gilman hosted several smaller delegations to the city until this large group arrived this week.

"About 45 executives from LG globally, mostly from Korea, coming to see Pittsburgh, to understand what companies are here, what research is coming out of our universities, what is the city and state doing to attract business and help business to grow."

The Koreans would not speak on camera but did send KDKA a statement from Dr. Skott Ahn, chief technology officer for LG Electronics.

"LG Electronics is excited to be visiting Pittsburgh to explore ways that we can work with the unique and rich technology ecosystem present. Pittsburgh's strength in robotics and artificial intelligence and their broad applicability to our areas of business make the Pittsburgh area, its educational institutions and startups a natural place for potential LG collaboration in the future."

"It's a pretty amazing thing to have 45 people fly across the world to come and see what Pittsburgh is doing," says Gilman.

"It clearly means we've arrived."

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