[Column] Korean Battery Outreach Turned into 'Nagging Diplomacy'

"The situation is urgent, so we are going for now."

Earlier this month, before the US outreach (diplomatic contact) tour schedule involving Choi Joong-kyung, International Investment Cooperation Ambassador, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the Korea Battery Industry Association, and the three battery companies (LG Energy Solution, Samsung SDI, SK On), a government official provided this background explanation. The official said, "What matters more than just going to the US is what activities we carry out there. We need to go to the US to find out." In summary, it was a statement along the lines of "We are going first without a confirmed schedule."

News recently emerged that Ambassador Choi met with Andy Beshear, Governor of Kentucky, near the end of the US visit. Ambassador Choi and the three battery companies initially requested meetings with governors from six states including Kentucky, Ohio, and Michigan. Despite all six states being major regions where the domestic battery companies have made significant investments, no meetings were held except with the Governor of Kentucky. The details of the discussions with Governor Beshear were not disclosed. Apart from a photo of Ambassador Choi shaking hands, no remarks were shared. There is no way to know the outcomes of the outreach.

Diplomacy is a negotiation arena strictly based on mutual interests. Especially, this US outreach took place amid the Trump administration’s unprecedented tariff policies. This makes it all the more critical.

The government’s strategy to reach the federal government through the governors is worth positive evaluation. However, boarding a plane to the US without prior coordination and pushing for meetings with governors looks like nothing more than ‘pestering diplomacy.’ Until the day before the meeting with the Governor of Kentucky was arranged, one source said, “No meetings with any governors have been confirmed, so the situation is tense.” Due to a lack of groundwork that should have been built over a long time, the diplomacy was pushed forward as if hitting a wall blindly.

An industry insider pointed out, "Despite the domestic political turmoil, the outreach was a good attempt, but they should have had an efficient strategy rather than just increasing the number of visits." An academic also criticized, "Even considering the political situation, our government’s preparation and strategy toward the Trump administration have been absurdly insufficient."

This US visit left an impression that it prioritized showy contact over substantial results. It is also questionable whether a close network was built over time with investment of cost and time from a long-term perspective. Before departure, the delegation called it a ‘grassroots outreach.’ This name fits only if there is systematic groundwork from the bottom up. Maintaining personal networks is basic. To emphasize and persuade that Korea is a trustworthy partner, it is necessary to first check relationships not only with governors but also with the broader US political and administrative circles.