Lee In-ho, Full-time Vice Chairman of Muhyeop, Visits the U.S. for Outreach with 6 Cooperative Organizations

Delivering the Voice of Korean Industry to the U.S.
Seeking Cooperation and Solidarity Measures Between the Two Countries
U.S. House Representative: "We Will Make Efforts"

Lee In-ho, Executive Vice Chairman of the Korea International Trade Association (KITA), visited the United States along with executives from six industry associations to express concerns about tariff policies and discuss cooperation measures with the U.S.

KITA conducted outreach activities in Washington D.C. from the 14th to the 17th (local time). This outreach was led by Vice Chairman Lee and accompanied by executives from semiconductor, battery, steel, automobile, shipbuilding, and nuclear industry associations, focusing on conveying the collective voice of the industrial sector to the U.S. side.

This visit marked the first private-sector contact with the U.S. since the announcement of reciprocal tariffs on the 2nd. During the visit, meetings with members of the U.S. Congress and administration officials were held to communicate the concerns and positions of Korea’s industrial sector and to understand the direction of U.S. trade policy. Emphasizing Korea as a reliable economic partner, the delegation sought ways to strengthen supply chain cooperation and economic security alliances between the two countries, focusing on strategic industries such as semiconductors, shipbuilding, and nuclear power.

The delegation visited major U.S. think tanks such as the Heritage Foundation and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), as well as local law firms, to hear local assessments of the trade policies of the second Trump administration and discuss Korea’s response strategies. They also met with U.S. congressional figures including Representative Don Beyer (Democrat, Virginia) and former Representative Ed Royce (Republican, California) to convey the domestic industry’s stance on trade issues. Representative Beyer, a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, expressed understanding of Korean companies’ contributions to U.S. investment and pledged to work at the congressional level to create a business-friendly environment for companies.

On the 15th (local time) in Washington D.C., USA, Lee In-ho, Vice Chairman of the Korea International Trade Association, and executives from various industry associations took a commemorative photo after meeting with Don Beyer, U.S. Congressman (Democrat, Virginia). (From left: Lee Kyung-ho, Vice Chairman of the Korea Iron & Steel Association; Choi Kyu-jong, Vice Chairman of the Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Plant Association; Lee In-ho, Vice Chairman of the Korea International Trade Association; Don Beyer, U.S. Congressman (Democrat, Virginia); Park Tae-sung, Vice Chairman of the Korea Battery Industry Association; Noh Baek-sik, Vice Chairman of the Korea Nuclear Industry Association; Kim Jung-hoe, Vice Chairman of the Korea Semiconductor Industry Association; Seo Jeong-ran, Executive Director of the Korea Automobile Mobility Industry Association), provided by the Trade Association.

Additionally, the delegation held talks with officials from the U.S. Department of Commerce, emphasizing Korean companies’ contributions to strengthening U.S. manufacturing competitiveness and stressing the need for consistent and predictable trade policies from the U.S. administration to support the continued expansion of investment plans.

Furthermore, regarding the 25% tariff measures under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act on steel and automobiles, as well as ongoing investigations into semiconductors and critical minerals, the Korea Iron & Steel Association, Korea Semiconductor Industry Association, Korea Automobile Mobility Industry Association, and Korea Battery Industry Association highlighted how Korean companies are aiding the establishment of an advanced manufacturing ecosystem in the U.S. and agreed to provide more detailed opinions on the ongoing investigations.

Vice Chairman Lee stated, "This outreach is significant in that associations representing Korea’s major industries comprehensively explained the interests of the entire industrial sector to the U.S. side. The U.S. side also responded that hearing directly from representatives of various industries helped them broadly understand Korea’s position. We will continue to actively respond to changes in the trade environment in cooperation with industry associations by sector and persist in efforts to support the trade industry."

Yoon Jin-sik, Chairman of KITA, is expected to visit Washington D.C. next month as part of an economic cooperation delegation to the U.S. with executives from major groups such as Hyundai Motor and LG. Previously, Chairman Yoon met with key figures from major southern states, a core region for the U.S. Republican Party, last month to emphasize the investment achievements and economic contributions of Korean companies and to request a favorable investment environment for Korean firms.