As Donald Trump prepares for his inauguration as President of the United States, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Ahn Duk-geun is visiting the U.S. to meet with key Republican figures to convey the message that a stable business environment is necessary for the corporations from Korea that have made large-scale investments.
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced that Minister Ahn Duk-geun will visit the U.S. from 6th to 10th (local time) to meet with U.S. lawmakers and federal and state government officials to strengthen cooperation between the two countries in the fields of industry, trade, and energy, and he is also expected to participate in the mourning activities for former U.S. President Jimmy Carter.
Minister Ahn is the highest-ranking government official from Korea visiting the U.S. amid domestic political turmoil following the declaration of martial law on Dec. 3. He will visit Washington, D.C., from 8th to 10th to meet with lawmakers from both houses who have a stake in the investment of Korean corporations.
With the Trump administration emphasizing an 'America First' policy, the newly elected president is signaling a shift in trade policy, including the imposition of universal tariffs and reductions to the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), prompting concerns among Korean corporations that have made large investments in various sectors, including semiconductors, automobiles, and secondary batteries, about increasing business uncertainties.
Minister Ahn plans to request the U.S. Congress's interest and support to ensure that our corporations' investments and business activities in the U.S. can be carried out stably.
Minister Ahn will also meet with key think tanks and industry officials in the U.S. who have an influence on shaping the next administration's policies to exchange opinions on ways to strengthen Korea-U.S. cooperation in advanced industries.
Before that, Minister Ahn will visit Georgia from 6th to 7th, where several Korean corporations have entered the advanced industries such as automobiles, secondary batteries, and semiconductors. He plans to meet with Governor Brian Kemp, who is affiliated with the Republican Party, to actively support and request attention for our corporations that have invested in Georgia.
Minister Ahn will then visit the SK On factory in Georgia and hold a meeting with companies that have entered the state. Through this, he will directly assess the difficulties faced by U.S. investment corporations and discuss ways to strengthen Korea-U.S. industrial cooperation at the state level.
Minister Ahn said, 'This visit to the U.S. will ensure a stable business environment for our corporations in the U.S. and will serve as an opportunity to strengthen cooperation in all fields of industry, trade, and energy between Korea and the new U.S. government.'