White House Reaffirms S. Korea's $200 Billion U.S. Investment Plan

Newly appointed White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia delivers her first official briefing at the White House on Oct. 13 (local time). The White House has once again highlighted South Korea's large-scale investment plans in the United States as a major achievement of President Donald Trump's administration. Newly appointed White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia reiterated the plans during her first official briefing on Oct. 13 (local time), emphasizing the president's efforts to fulfill his campaign promises. Zacharia said South Korea's planned investment in the United States could reach $200 billion. The package includes up to $120 billion for the construction of eight large nuclear reactors, which she described as a key part of Trump's efforts to deliver on his campaign commitments. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, the proposed nuclear project comprises two Korean-designed APR1400 reactors and six U.S.-designed AP1000 reactors. Of the $120 billion allocated to the project, $100 billion is designated for construction costs and $20 billion for contingency funding. The White House also outlined investment plans for individual energy projects, including $54 billion for Alaska's liquefied natural gas (LNG) pipeline and terminal development and $22.3 billion for a 6-gigawatt natural gas power generation facility in La Salle County, Texas. Zacharia said the Alaska project would help supply energy to the Pacific Rim and support fuel sales to U.S. allies. Zacharia also highlighted plans for Arsenal 2, a shipyard to be built in Maryland. The White House described it as the largest U.S. shipyard investment since World War II, projecting that the project would create approximately 3,100 direct jobs and more than 11,000 indirect jobs. While the White House has emphasized the scale and economic potential of the investment package, South Korea has yet to finalize its participation in two of the major projects highlighted by Washington.  South Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said the Texas natural gas power plant project was officially moving forward as the first initiative under the bilateral strategic investment framework. However, the ministry said the Alaska LNG and nuclear projects had not yet been finalized, leaving key elements of the broader investment plan unresolved. The ministry added that the Alaska LNG project remained at the initial review stage. Any decision to proceed, it said, would depend on whether the project met commercial viability standards and complied with South Korean legal requirements. Kim Jung-kwan, South Korea's minister of trade, industry and energy, stressed that the government would prioritize the national interest and invest only in commercially viable projects. The investment framework stems from a bilateral trade agreement reached in July 2025 and a strategic investment memorandum of understanding signed in November 2025. Under the arrangement, South Korea pledged up to $200 billion in investment, with annual commitments capped at $20 billion. Including an additional $150 billion earmarked for shipbuilding cooperation, South Korea's total investment commitment amounts to $350 billion. In return, the United States reduced tariffs on South Korean products from 25% to 15%.