A trade delegation led by Governor Eric Holcomb is in South Korea now as it continues a push for more investment and jobs from Asian companies in the semiconductor and electric vehicle battery industries.

The group spent the first half of the trip in Taiwan, where a Memorandum of Understanding was signed, aimed at strengthening economic ties between Indiana and the island nation and implicitly agreeing to enhance semiconductor supply chains. The delegation will be joined by Purdue University-President Elect Mung Chiang in South Korea, where there will be a focus on electric vehicle battery investment.

In an interview with Inside Indiana Business from Taiwan, Holcomb talked about reaction to the Indiana sales pitch and the role colleges and universities will play in building a “silicon heartland.” The governor says the country needs about 300,000 engineers, which bodes well for Indiana because of the direct pipelines already in place among academic institutions and companies through internships and apprenticeship programs.