Visiting the U.S. at the Invitation of Chairman Masayoshi Son
Stronger Cooperation Expected on the Stargate Project
Possible Golf Meeting with Trump
The heads of South Korea's four major conglomerates are visiting the United States to attend an investment attraction event hosted by Masayoshi Son, Chairman of Japan's SoftBank. As follow-up discussions on tariff negotiations between the Korean and U.S. governments are underway, there is growing interest in how these leading business figures will support the negotiations on-site in the U.S.
In particular, with the possibility of U.S. President Donald Trump attending the event being discussed, there are also speculations that informal meetings, such as golf rounds, could take place.
According to the business community on October 15, Chairman Son has reportedly invited the heads of major South Korean groups, including Samsung, SK, Hyundai Motor, and LG, to the investment attraction event to be held at the Mar-a-Lago Resort in Palm Beach, Florida, on October 18 (local time).
Chey Tae-won, Chairman of SK Group, is scheduled to depart for the U.S. on October 16, and Koo Kwang-mo, Chairman of LG Group, is also expected to join. Lee Jae-yong, Chairman of Samsung Electronics, and Chung Euisun, Chairman of Hyundai Motor Group, who are currently in Japan for Korea-U.S.-Japan economic talks, may also attend the event.
This event is aimed at attracting investment for the "Stargate" project, a large-scale data center construction initiative in the U.S. being promoted by Chairman Son. The venue, Mar-a-Lago Resort, is well known as President Trump's private residence.
With a golf round between President Trump and major business leaders reportedly scheduled during the event, attention is focused on the possibility of the heads of South Korea's four major conglomerates meeting with President Trump.
In particular, this event is expected to clarify the roles of South Korean companies in the "Stargate" project. Practical cooperation plans are likely to be explored across key industries such as semiconductors, electricity, and investment capital.
The business community has drawn a line, stating that this visit is not directly related to Korea-U.S. trade negotiations. However, since Kim Yongbeom, Director of Policy at the Presidential Office and head of the Korean negotiation team, and Kim Jeonggwan, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, are also visiting the U.S. around the same time, there is growing interest in whether the conglomerate leaders will provide private-sector "economic diplomacy support."
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