Minister Kim Jung-kwan of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources arrived in the United States on the 10th local time to wrap up investment talks with the U.S. Minister Kim arrived that day at Newark Liberty International Airport near New York. Having accompanied President Lee Jae-myung on a state visit to France, Minister Kim finished his schedule in Europe and headed to the United States.
At the airport, Minister Kim met with reporters and said, "I came to conclude the ongoing investment negotiations with the U.S.," adding, "My schedule is to wrap up those details during the negotiation process," and, "I believe the talks are ongoing until the final signing."
Minister Kim is expected to stay in the United States through the 12th and meet government officials, including U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, to finalize the investment talks with the U.S.
On the day, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that the Korean government had prepared a plan to invest more than $100 billion (about 134 trillion won) in the energy sector—such as eight nuclear power plants and a natural gas project—as the first project of investment with the U.S., and that an agreement was imminent.
Minister Kim said, "I cannot confirm the specific details yet," and added, "I will tell you when the final result comes out."
After returning home, Minister Kim is expected to proceed with the process of signing the memorandum of understanding (MOU) as early as on the 18th.