InterviewUS sees Korea as reliable investment partner, ruling party lawmaker says

Rep. Lee Un-ju, right, Supreme Council member of the Democratic Party of Korea, shakes hands with U.S. Sen. Bill Hagerty of Tennessee at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., March 25. Courtesy of Lee's office.

U.S. government officials and lawmakers view Korea as a reliable manufacturing partner and have responded positively to its commitment to investing in the U.S., a Korean lawmaker told The Korea Times.

However, they remain sensitive to certain nontariff trade issues as well as controversies surrounding Coupang, a U.S.-based e-commerce giant that experienced a massive customer data leak in Korea late last year.

Rep. Lee Un-ju, a Supreme Council member of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and a member of the Korea-U.S. Parliamentarians' Union, visited Washington last week as part of a six-member delegation from the union. She said U.S. officials and lawmakers showed a broadly favorable assessment of Korea’s economic role.

“The U.S. side saw Korea as one of the most reliable manufacturing partners and a key supply chain ally,” Lee said in a written interview, referring to discussions with senators, House members and officials from the departments of State, Commerce and Energy.

She added that this positive view was shared by both Republicans and Democrats, who also welcomed the Korean National Assembly's passage of a special law creating a legal framework to manage $350 billion worth of investments in the U.S.

Lee said she and the other lawmakers used the meetings to highlight how Korean companies are supporting U.S. manufacturing and employment, while also calling for greater policy support to sustain those investments.

“We explained, based on facts, that Korean investment is making a tangible contribution to rebuilding U.S. manufacturing and creating jobs,” she said. “There was a shared understanding that this should be matched with institutional stability and policy cooperation.”

At the same time, Lee said her U.S. counterparts raised concerns over nontariff barriers and the case involving Coupang. The Trump administration has claimed Seoul's regulations on digital services and some other issues unfairly discriminate against American firms. Regarding Coupang, the U.S. had a closed-door House hearing with Coupang's interim CEO Harold Rogers in February regarding Korea's treatment of the U.S.-based company over the large-scale data leak incident.

“The U.S. side mentioned nontariff barriers ... and the Coupang issue was also viewed as somewhat sensitive,” she said, without providing further details.

Lee said she framed the issue in broader terms, emphasizing regulatory predictability and fair competition rather than focusing on a single company.

“We explained that this is not about a specific company, but about regulatory predictability and market fairness,” she said, adding that both sides agreed on the need for continued policy-level communication to reduce misunderstandings.

They also talked about a range of areas for deeper cooperation, particularly in energy and advanced industries.

Lee said the two sides exchanged views on cooperation in nuclear energy and liquefied natural gas, as well as in artificial intelligence (AI), advanced manufacturing and shipbuilding.

“There was meaningful discussion on nuclear energy cooperation, next-generation energy infrastructure and areas such as AI and shipbuilding, including vessel modernization,” she said.

She added that issues related to Korea's development of its own nuclear-powered submarines were also discussed as part of broader efforts to strengthen economic security cooperation.

Lee also said the two sides agreed that visa rules for Korean workers need to be eased to better support Korean companies operating in the U.S., especially those tied to major investment projects.

According to Lee, visa-related uncertainties have become more prominent following an incident in September last year in Georgia, in which around 300 Korean workers at a battery plant jointly operated by Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution were detained by U.S. immigration authorities.

“Both sides recognized the need to reduce uncertainties in visa procedures during the implementation of investment projects,” she said, adding that efforts are underway to clarify entry procedures for skilled workers and strengthen consultation channels linked to investment projects.

Lee described the trip as an effort to explain Korea’s position and build understanding through direct engagement.

“The most meaningful outcome was that we were able to explain Korea’s position based on facts and broaden mutual understanding,” she said. “We plan to continue follow-up discussions going forward.”