WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — Williamson County Judge Bill Gravell signed a mutual cooperation agreement with the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) Thursday at the grand opening of its Global Partnering Center in Austin.

Gravell said KOTRA is like a ‘department of commerce’ for South Korea, the partnership aims to make it easier for foreign business to build operations in the county and Central Texas.

“In visiting with them, we realize there are many businesses that need to set up local offices. They [the center] help them [the company] to onboard to their workplace there at WeWork in Austin, and then we help them on board with a permanent location here in Williamson County,” Gravell said.

The agreement comes a week after Williamson County leaders returned from a visit to South Korea with KOTRA leaders.

Many of the businesses poised to move to Williamson County, Gravell said, will likely be support businesses for the Samsung Semiconductor Plant under construction in Taylor.

Just this week, the City of Taylor signed a memorandum of understanding with iMarket Korea. The company distributes materials used to make microchips and, according to KED Global, has already purchased 900,000 square meters of land in the city’s industrial park.

Round Rock City Council also approved an economic development agreement this week for Toppan Photomasks, which produces a key component used in semiconductor fabrication.

Gravell said the growth of the county’s semiconductor industry is only slated to grow in the coming years with two more project developments set to be announced soon.

“We are now playing on the world stage. And the world is moving to Central Texas, and Williamson County and we’re grateful,” Gravell said.