Shinsegae Group Chairman Jeong Yong-jin has extended his stay at President-elect Donald Trump's residence at the Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida. With the stay now longer than originally planned, which was until the 19th, attention is focused on his meeting with the president-elect.
According to industry sources on the 20th, Chairman Jeong visited the Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on the 16th (local time) at the invitation of Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr. Jeong's initial planned duration of stay was until the 19th. This schedule was extended by one day to the morning of the 20th and was later reported to have been further extended to the morning of the 21st.
A representative from Shinsegae Group noted, "It is true that Chairman Jeong Yong-jin's duration of stay in the U.S. has been extended beyond the planned period." However, the specifics regarding the reason for the lengthened stay were not disclosed.
This has led to speculation that Chairman Jeong may have the opportunity to meet and converse directly with President-elect Trump. Currently, it is also reported that President-elect Trump is staying at Mar-a-Lago with his wife, Melania. Additionally, Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and a co-head of the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), is also said to be residing at Mar-a-Lago.
Chairman Jeong's current visit to the U.S. is a personal rather than an official company itinerary. Given the significant time spent with Trump Jr., it is widely speculated that various discussions, including business matters, may have taken place. In the domestic industry, there are expectations that Chairman Jeong will play a bridging role between the Korean business community and the president-elect’s side, based on his friendship with Trump Jr.
Meanwhile, Chairman Jeong and Trump Jr. have met four times just this year. Prior to this visit to the Mar-a-Lago resort, Chairman Jeong met with Trump Jr. approximately three times in Korea, where Trump Jr. visited either officially or unofficially. Notably, in January, Chairman Jeong posted a photo with Trump Jr. on his social media, emphasizing their connection with the caption, "I met with Trump Jr. and had several conversations."