Ministry of Trade Industry and Resources

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR, Minister JK Kim) announced that Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo met with Thomas Byrne, President of The Korea Society, in Seoul on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, to exchange views on ways to enhance Korea–U.S. economic cooperation. Established in 1957, The Korea Society is a U.S. nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting mutual understanding and cooperation between Korea and the United States through a wide range of policy forums, seminars, and educational programs across politics, economics, culture, and education.

Trade Minister Yeo highlighted that Korea has been actively supporting the revitalization of U.S. manufacturing and job creation through large-scale greenfield investments, and has established itself as a major importer of U.S. energy and agricultural products such as LNG and crude oil. He underscored the close trade and investment ties between both countries and noted that implementing the USD 150 billion in direct investment plans announced by Korean companies in August 2025, along with the USD 350 billion strategic investment MOU reached as part of the Korea–U.S. tariff negotiations on October 29, 2025, would further strengthen bilateral industrial supply chains.

Trade Minister Yeo also conveyed Korean companies’ concerns over the recent detention of Korean workers at a plant in Georgia, urging President Byrne to help ensure that such incidents do not recur. He requested The Korea Society’s support in developing fundamental solutions, emphasizing the need to ensure smooth entry and stable investment conditions for Korean business personnel in the short term, and to establish a new visa category in the longer term.