Agilent Technologies, a U.S.-based technology measurement firm, will keep its promise to invest in Korea despite the departure of its Korean-based senior vice president Sohn Young-kwon. Agilent chief executive William Sullivan, who took the reins of the firm on March 1, on March 30 reiterated the promise in a press meeting at the Westin Chosun Hotel in downtown Seoul. "We will miss Mr. Sohn, who was very customer-oriented. We will make no change to our investment plans in Korea because we wish for our customers to be successful," he said. Sohn, a former Oak Technology chairman, who joined Agilent in late 2003, has influenced many of the firm's policies in the direction of selecting Korea as a research investment destination or factory sites. During his tenure, Agilent set up a research center, a mobile lab aimed at developing wireless products for its Asian affiliates, in Seoul last month. In addition, the firm also signed a memorandum of understanding with Korea last November to mull over building high-brightness LED (Light Emitting Diode) factories in Gwangju, southern Korea. For some reason, however, Sohn resigned early this month, just days after Sullivan took the helm, causing concerns that Agilent's Korean investment might be negatively affected by his absence. Agilent Korea president Yoon Seung-ki also confirmed that Gwangju is still the strongest candidate to attract the firm's LED production lines. "The option of building factories in Gwangju was chosen by Agilent, not by Sohn. We will decide whether or not to select Gwangju in August after an on-site inspection in June," Yoon said. Currently, Agilent is checking Korea, plus Singapore and Taiwan as the place to relocate its U.S. LED factories. "Gwangju has a logistics problem because an international airport is so far from the city. But I wish things will fare well via negotiations with the government," he said. Agilent is a spin-off company from printer giant Hewlett Packard. Former president Edward Barnholt guided the firm after its separation from HP in 1999 and Sullivan is the second boss. Agilent today retains four business groups under its wings -- technology measurement, chemical analysis, life science and semiconductor products. The company has 28,000 employees across the world and chalked up a turnover of $7.2 billion last year. Agilent Korea has 284 employees.