Overview
- Seoul and Washington published a joint fact sheet confirming South Korea’s US$350 billion U.S. investment pledge in return for lowering U.S. tariffs on Korean goods, including cars and parts, to 15 percent from 25 percent.
- President Lee Jae Myung met chiefs of major conglomerates and vowed deregulation and rapid problem‑solving, signaling possible use of tools such as purchasing subordinate R&D bonds or taking first‑loss risk to spur investment.
- Hyundai Motor Group announced a record 125.2 trillion won domestic plan for 2026–2030 focused on AI, software‑defined vehicles, robotics, R&D and production upgrades, and will cover 2025 U.S. tariff costs for its tier‑one suppliers.
- Samsung said it will invest 450 trillion won in South Korea over the next five years and hire 60,000 people in that period, including plans for a new P5 fab at Pyeongtaek targeted to begin operations in 2028.
- Lee departs Monday on a 10‑day trip to the UAE, Egypt, South Africa and Turkey to advance investment, technology cooperation and broader economic ties, including participation in the G20 summit in Johannesburg.