Lutnick to meet Korean, US biz leaders at APEC gathering
From left to right, Korean presidential chief of staff for policy Kim Yong-beom, Korean presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik, Carlyle Group co-chairman David Rubenstein, Federation of Korean Industries head Ryu Jin, Korean President Lee Jae Myung, Nvidia Corp. CEO Jensen Huang, Korean Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, Applied Materials chief Gary Dickerson, Korean National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac and Kang Kyung-wha, nominee for Korean ambassador to the United States, pose for a group photo during the reception for a roundtable meeting with Korean and U.S. business leaders at a Washington hotel, Aug. 25. Yonhap
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick will hold a business roundtable with leaders of major Korean and American companies in the southeastern city of Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, on Wednesday for the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) gathering, Seoul officials said.
The roundtable event will be held at the Gyeongju Arts Center later in the day on the sidelines of the planned summit between President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump, the officials said, while noting the schedule may change.
The event is expected to be attended by Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, SK Group Chair Chey Tae-won, Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung, LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo and Hanwha Group Vice Chairman Kim Dong-kwan, as well as Korean Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan.
A number of U.S. business figures currently visiting Gyeongju for the APEC CEO Summit, such as Amazon Web Services CEO Matt Garman, will also likely attend the event.
The participants are widely expected to discuss industrial cooperation as Seoul has pledged to invest a combined $350 billion in the United States for collaboration in various sectors, including shipbuilding, semiconductors and batteries, as part of a framework trade deal between the two countries in late July.
Eyes are on whether the two countries will be able to finalize their bilateral trade agreement at the Lee-Trump summit later in the day, with the two countries still sparing over the details of the investment package, such as financing methods and profit allocation.
Korea and the U.S. hosted a similar event in Washington in August also as a sideline event of the Lee-Trump summit.