South Korea, U.S. Push Investment Pact Implementation, Security Cooperation at White House
In Washington, D.C., South Korea’s Prime Minister Kim Min-seok met with U.S. Vice President JD Vance at the White House on January 12 local time to discuss the breadth of Korea–U.S. relations.
Kim told Vance that South Korea’s Special Act on Investments in the United States had passed the National Assembly plenary session, signaling the government’s strong commitment to implementing the investment agreement reached with the United States. He said the law would help future Korean investment into the United States, contribute to U.S. manufacturing revival and job creation, and lay the groundwork for broader, long-term Korea–U.S. ties.
The prime minister also stressed that, with this legislation, the two countries could accelerate the implementation of the joint policy materials from their summit, including security-related accords on nuclear-powered submarines, nuclear energy, and shipbuilding. He urged prompt execution of these security measures as part of a broader alliance.
Vance welcomed the establishment of a legal framework to implement the investment agreement and called for close, ongoing communication on investment issues between the two sides.
Kim also touched on cooperation in critical minerals and described the government’s forward-looking decision regarding requests by U.S. companies, framing it within the broader bilateral economic partnership.
Vance expressed appreciation for these steps and urged continued discussions on other non-tariff barriers, underscoring the value the United States places on steady dialogue with Seoul.
Kim noted that topics raised by Vance in their January meeting—such as concerns about Coupang and religious issues—have been stabilized recently, and Vance thanked Korea for respecting its domestic laws and for ongoing engagement with U.S. interests.
The White House meeting came about a month and a half after their January 23 encounter. The Korean prime minister’s office said the personal rapport and trust between the leaders and the two countries’ teams have deepened, expected to aid future cooperation on bilateral issues.
The release from Korea’s Prime Minister’s Office did not mention any discussion of the U.S. Trade Representative’s Section 301 investigations into 16 economies, including Korea, China, and Japan.