October 17, 2025
SEOUL – Leaders of South Korea’s major conglomerates are set to attend an investment forum at US President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, joining about 70 global firms invited by SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son, according to industry sources Thursday.
It marks the first time that Korea’s top business leaders visit Trump’s private residence together, with speculations that they could also join him for a round of golf over the weekend.
The meeting, which will mainly bring together Korean, Japanese and Taiwanese firms, is expected to focus on potential collaboration in SoftBank’s “Stargate” initiative — a $500 billion artificial intelligence infrastructure project being jointly developed with Open AI and Oracle.
While the event is not related to ongoing US-Korea tariff negotiations, it coincides with a visit to Washington by senior Seoul officials, including Presidential Policy Chief Kim Yong-beom and Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan, fueling expectations that the trip could help broaden economic dialogue between the two countries.
Samsung Electronics Chair Lee Jae-yong and Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Euisun, currently in Japan participating in the Korea-US-Japan Trilateral Executive Dialogue held Wednesday, are expected to travel from Tokyo.
SK Group Chair Chey Tae-won is also scheduled to depart for the US on Thursday, while LG Group Chair Koo Kwang-mo is expected to join the gathering on Friday. Hanwha Group Vice Chair Kim Dong-kwan is also expected to participate in the meeting.
Both Son and Trump are expected to use the Mar-a-Lago meeting to court investors: Son for the Stargate initiative and Trump for new Korean commitments in the US.
In the Stargate project, Samsung Electronics and SK hynix have joined as key partners, agreeing to supply high-performance semiconductors for the initiative. The upcoming meeting with Son is expected to further detail cooperation and explore additional areas of collaboration, according to industry sources.
Aside from the Stargate project, the companies could also discuss potential cooperation in SoftBank’s plan to launch $1 trillion industrial complex featuring AI and robotics.
Broader Korea-US partnerships in major industries such as artificial intelligence, chips, automobiles and shipbuilding are also expected.
The two countries have agreed to cooperate on a shipbuilding initiative known as MASGA or “Make American Shipbuilding Great Again,” as part of the ongoing tariff negotiations.
Hanwha Ocean, a leading participant in the project, is making large-scale investments in the US shipyards as part of the effort.
China, which remains locked in a tariff dispute with the US, recently sanctioned five US affiliates of Hanwha Ocean — the core company behind the project — in what is seen as a move to counter efforts to revive America’s shipbuilding industry.
The Mar-a-Lago meeting was reportedly organized by SoftBank’s Son to celebrate the 90th birthday of South African golf legend Gary Player, who maintains close ties with Trump.
