August 27, 2025
SEOUL – South Korea’s biggest conglomerates plan to invest around $150 billion in the US, a move business leaders say will merge Korea’s manufacturing strength with America’s innovation to drive growth in areas spanning from AI to semiconductors, shipbuilding and nuclear power.
The pledge comes in addition to Korea’s earlier commitment to a $350 billion investment fund for projects in the US as part of the trade deal last month that lowered tariffs on Korean goods from 25 percent to 15 percent.
The announcement was made by Ryu Jin, chairman of the Federation of Korean Industries, on behalf of the Korean companies at a business roundtable in Washington, DC, on Monday. Timed with President Lee Jae Myung’s first US visit, the meeting was held under the theme of “Partnership for a Manufacturing Renaissance” and brought together some 40 top executives and senior government officials from both countries.
“Korean companies are planning to invest $150 billion in the US to usher in a new era of renaissance in the manufacturing industry and lead the global market with the US,” Ryu said. “By joining forces in advanced industries such as AI, semiconductors and biotech as well as in strategic sectors including shipbuilding and nuclear power, Korea and the US can open a new golden age of manufacturing.”
Ryu emphasized that when the innovative capability of the US combines with Korea’s advanced manufacturing technology, the two countries will become partners that create the best synergy.
President Lee echoed this message, stressing that Korea is the most optimal partner for achieving a revival in American manufacturing, citing Seoul’s prowess in shipbuilding, semiconductors, automobiles, biotech, batteries, pharmaceuticals and nuclear power.
In particular, Lee emphasized shipbuilding, saying “Korea is not just America’s best partner, but its only partner.”
“A navy’s strength derives from shipbuilding. South Korea will pursue the ‘Make American Shipbuilding Great Again’ project,” Lee said, adding that with the world’s top three shipyards, Korea can deliver everything from commercial ships to LNG carriers and icebreakers to help reinvigorate American shipbuilding.
Turning to semiconductors, Lee underscored Korea’s role in supplying high-bandwidth memory chips, a critical component for the AI processors that power AI systems like ChatGPT.
“Korean-made HBM will play a critical role for the US to secure AI competitiveness,” he said, adding that SK hynix and Samsung Electronics plan to build new US facilities for packaging and foundry operations, making the US a key hub of the global semiconductor supply chain.
At the event, Korean and US companies signed a total of 11 investment and purchase agreements and MOUs, ranging from shipbuilding and nuclear energy to aviation and liquefied natural gas.
The event drew heavyweight figures from both countries’ political and business circles. Attendees from Korea included Samsung Electronics Chair Lee Jae-yong, SK Group Chair Chey Tae-won, Hyundai Motor Executive Chair Chung Euisun, LG Group Chair Koo Kwang-mo and top executives from Lotte, Hanwha, HD Hyundai, GS, Korean Air, CJ, LS, Doosan, Celltrion, Naver and Korea Zinc.
On the US side, participants included US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, Carlyle Group Co-founder David Rubenstein, Applied Materials CEO Gary Dickerson and Danaher CEO Rainer Blair, and executives from companies including Cerberus Capital, Axcelis, Open AI, Boeing, General Motors, Lockheed Martin, IBM and Google.
sahn@heraldcorp.com
