How LG AI Research expanded US hiring across multiple states with Deel

LG AI Research is the AI research arm of LG Group. Based in Seoul and with a presence in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA, they drive AI innovation across the LG portfolio.

When talent needs expanded, LG AI Research identified promising candidates in New York and Washington, D.C. Both cities were closer to key clients and research institutions. But the company had no legal entity in either location, and establishing new ones meant navigating state registrations, tax filings, payroll setup, and local compliance. Without a local employment solution, hiring these candidates risked significant delays.

That's where Deel came in. With Deel’s EOR, LG AI Research hired employees in both states compliantly without establishing new entities. Deel handled the local employment infrastructure, letting LG focus on securing talent.

“To hire without compliance issues, we would have had to register in every state and handle all the administrative filings ourselves. When we compared the options, Deel was the clear choice because it allowed us to focus on what matters most—finding and hiring the best talent no matter where they are." – Yumi Cho, HR Manager, LG AI Research

This was LG AI Research's first EOR partnership. For an HR team based in Korea, US state-specific tax and labor requirements were new ground. Deel assigned a dedicated Korean-speaking coordinator who guided the team through setup and kept clear lines of communication between LG AI Research's Seoul HR team, their Ann Arbor HR manager, and Deel.

That localized support made all the difference. The team understood their options, got answers fast, and hired with confidence.

“We're HR practitioners based in Korea, so US state tax and labor law isn't our expertise. Deel's Korean-speaking coordinator didn't just bridge that gap—they made the whole process effortless. We hired across two states without any of the usual friction.” – Yulhee Ahn, HR Manager, LG AI Research

Speed mattered. Offers had already gone out, and start dates were firm.

Deel delivered. Onboarding took just one to two days. When visa support was needed on a tight timeline, Deel's visa team moved immediately. One research scientist also started working right away through Deel while waiting to relocate—six months of productivity instead of idle time.

Reducing payroll work and entity overhead

Deel made hiring possible and operations smarter. For Deel-employed US hires, the LG AI Research team reviews payroll drafts prepared by Deel. That cut payroll processing time by more than 50% per employee and eliminated the need for separate processes for each state.

LG AI Research also avoided the ongoing costs of establishing entities in New York and Washington, D.C. Each location demands annual filings, renewals, maintenance fees, and admin work. With Deel, LG AI Research saved more than 50% in both time and cost.

Building the foundation for global hiring

LG AI Research started with two hires in two states—but the impact runs deeper.

Before Deel, the company used freelancers in countries without legal entities, including account managers across Europe. Now with this EOR foundation in place, LG AI Research onboards employees in new locations faster and more consistently.

The company can hire based on talent and business needs, not entity setup or regulatory constraints.