(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead with latest info; ADDS details throughout; CHANGES photo)
SEOUL, Oct. 15 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae Myung on Thursday called on a U.S. business council to actively explore new investment and business opportunities in South Korea for mutually complementary cooperation between the two nations, the presidential office said.
Lee made the remarks during a meeting with Evan G. Greenberg, chair of the U.S.-Korea Business Council (USKBC) and CEO of Chubb Group, at Cheong Wa Dae, according to presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung.
President Lee Jae Myung (R) shakes hands with Evan G. Greenberg, chair of the U.S.-Korea Business Council, before their meeting at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Oct. 15, 2026, in this photo provided by the presidential office. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
"South Korea and the United States are developing into a future-oriented comprehensive strategic alliance encompassing the economy and advanced technologies, based on a robust security alliance," Lee said, expressing hope that South Korea could also contribute to the development of U.S. industries.
Stressing the need for active investment in both directions for "mutually complementary cooperation," Lee called on the USKBC to "actively explore new investment and business opportunities in South Korea so that U.S. companies can expand their investment here alongside South Korean companies' investments in the U.S."
Lee also highlighted South Korea's focus on investing in human resources and technology, as well as the defense industry as an area with significant potential for bilateral cooperation.
Greenberg said North America and Northeast Asia, particularly the U.S. and South Korea, are driving global growth, adding that the two countries' agreement on strategic investment would further strengthen bilateral relations, Cheong Wa Dae said.
The USKBC is a major business advocacy organization under the U.S. Chamber of Commerce that brings together top U.S. companies engaged in economic cooperation with South Korea.
Earlier Thursday, Greenberg attended a plenary meeting of the U.S.-Korea and Korea-U.S. Business Councils, where business leaders called for faster regulatory approvals, tax and financial incentives, and visa reforms to facilitate the implementation of major South Korean investment projects in the U.S.
In a joint declaration, they also pledged to expand cooperation in key industries, including semiconductors, artificial intelligence, batteries, energy and shipbuilding.
The meeting came after Seoul and Washington announced details of Seoul's planned US$200 billion investment in the U.S., part of a broader $350 billion commitment in exchange for lower U.S. tariffs on South Korean goods.
President Lee Jae Myung (C) poses for a photo prior to a meeting with Evan Greenberg (2nd from L), chair of the U.S.-Korea Business Council (USKBC), at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Oct. 15, 2026, along with former U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (L); Ryu Jin (2nd from R), chairman of the Korea-U.S. Economic Council and the Federation of Korean Industries; and Charles Freeman, director of the USKBC, in this photo provided by the presidential office. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)