Yeo Han-koo, head of trade negotiations at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, met with Montana Gov. Gianforte on the 20th and asked for "attention and support so that a fundamental solution can be found to the U.S. visa issuance issue."
The Deputy Minister said this while meeting in Seoul with an economic delegation led by the Montana governor to discuss ways to strengthen South Korea–U.S. economic cooperation.
At the meeting, attendees included the governor, Gianforte, and his spouse; the head of Navajo Transitional Energy; the chair of Montana Renewables; the director of the Office of International Trade at the Montana Department of Commerce; and other officials from State Governments and corporations based in Montana.
At the meeting, the Deputy Minister raised the visa issuance issue as a core agenda item and asked for attention and support to devise a fundamental solution. Yeo said, "For our corporations to cooperate with the United States, a stable investment environment and smooth visa issuance must be guaranteed," adding, "A fundamental solution is needed to prevent a recurrence of issues like the Georgia case."
The Deputy Minister also asked for Montana's support regarding the ongoing South Korea–U.S. tariff negotiations. Regarding the ongoing South Korea–U.S. tariff negotiations, Yeo said they are "seeking constructive and mutually beneficial options," emphasizing that "the active support and role of not only the federal government but also state governments are important."
The two sides highly evaluated the long-standing, close, and mutually beneficial trade relationship in the energy sector, including LNG (liquefied natural gas) and crude oil, and agreed to expand cooperation to strengthen energy security and diversify supply chains going forward.
In particular, they agreed to combine Korea's manufacturing competitiveness with Montana's abundant natural resources to create synergies across various industries, including energy, critical minerals, and manufacturing.