Key Takeaways
- South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and US President Trump welcomed significant progress in strategic investment projects.
- The two leaders discussed potential investments in Texas, nuclear energy, and Alaska LNG.
- They agreed to deepen cooperation on issues including nuclear fuel and shipbuilding.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and US President Donald Trump expressed satisfaction with the progress made in discussions on strategic investment projects during a meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
The meeting, which lasted for 30 minutes, came after South Korea’s Industry Ministry briefed lawmakers on Tuesday about implementation plans under the countries’ $350 billion investment package.
The potential first investment identified was a Texas gas-fired power project, alongside possible investments in nuclear energy and an Alaska LNG project.
National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac stated that the two leaders welcomed the significant progress made in discussions on strategic investment projects between the two countries.
The leaders also agreed to deepen cooperation and continue discussions on issues including nuclear fuel enrichment and reprocessing, nuclear-powered submarines, shipbuilding, and the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) from the US to South Korea.
Trump reaffirmed his willingness to engage in dialogue with North Korea, with both leaders agreeing to remain in close communication in pursuit of a peace process.
Lee also expressed hope for a successful US-China summit scheduled for Thursday, which he believed would be important for regional developments, including South Korea-China relations.
Earlier, Lee told the UN General Assembly that Seoul would support efforts to revive dialogue with North Korea and work toward a durable peace framework while seeking broader international backing for those efforts.
A senior presidential official reported that Lee had told Trump he hoped the US president would help advance engagement with North Korea, to which Trump replied that he would do so.
The official also noted that Trump maintained a good relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, though there was no indication of any specific contact currently taking place.
The two leaders spent considerable time discussing OPCON transfer, with Trump gaining a better understanding of Seoul’s position. The US side stressed the need to meet the required conditions and complete the process as soon as possible.
