# Slovakia strengthens its position as hub for Korean investment in Europe > Source: > Published: 2026-06-16 11:12:03+00:00 As Korean companies accelerate their expansion into Europe, Slovakia is emerging as one of the continent’s most attractive gateways, leveraging its strategic location, advanced manufacturing base and growing cooperation with Korea in robotics, artificial intelligence (AI) and research. Officials from the Embassy of the Slovak Republic and Slovakia’s investment promotion agency say bilateral ties are entering a new phase, moving beyond traditional manufacturing into high-value sectors such as AI-driven automation, semiconductors, industrial robotics and joint research. “Slovakia’s goal is not simply to attract more factories, but to bring in investment with added value,” Michal Dutko, head of the Slovak Investment Office in Korea under the Slovak Investment and Trade Development Agency (SARIO), told The Korea Times at the Slovak Embassy in Seoul. “That is why we are focusing on robotics, AI, semiconductors and cooperation between universities and research institutions,” Dutko said. Robotics has become a strategic priority for Slovakia as the country prepares its workforce fo