South Korea hopes investment pledge will speed up security talks with the United States
Seoul says the newly announced US$200 billion Korean investment in the United States should accelerate pending security discussions between the two allies.
South Korea’s foreign ministry expects that the announcement of a US$200 billion investment by Korean firms in the United States will catalyze faster movement on outstanding security matters between the two countries. The investment forms part of a US$350 billion commitment agreed last year in exchange for reduced U.S. tariffs on Korean exports. At a summit in New York on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, President Lee Jae Myung and President Donald Trump agreed to accelerate discussions on issues outlined in a joint fact sheet, including South Korea’s pursuit of nuclear-powered submarines and rights for uranium enrichment and spent-fuel reprocessing.
Park Doo-soon, a ministry spokesperson, said the shared understanding should foster closer communication on security topics. While a follow-up meeting on the 123 nuclear cooperation agreement was planned for July, a new date has yet to be set, and Seoul continues to press the United States for consent to expand its nuclear capabilities.
Why it matters
The investment-security link could reshape U.S.-South Korea defence cooperation and affect regional stability.
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