South Korea's National Security Advisor Meets Visiting US Representatives Ahead Of Lee-Trump Summit

(MENAFN- IANS) Seoul, Aug 12 (IANS) South Korea's National Security Advisor Wi Sung-lak met with two visiting US Representatives on Tuesday and discussed ways to bolster industrial cooperation and the alliance between the two nations, the presidential office said.

Wi met Rep. Beth Van Duyne (R-Texas) and Rep. Richard McCormick (R-Georgia), as President Lee Jae Myung is preparing to hold his first summit with US President Donald Trump in Washington on August 25.

He highlighted that Korean companies have been investing in strategic sectors, such as semiconductors and automotive batteries, in their districts of Texas and Georgia, asking for their support to further advance the bilateral alliance and industrial cooperation for "win-win" outcomes, the office said in a release, Yonhap News Agency reported.

Samsung Electronics has been building a new semiconductor manufacturing facility in Taylor, Texas.

Hyundai Motor Group is constructing a new electric vehicle plant in Georgia and partnering with Korean battery maker SK On to build a battery plant there, in addition to SK On's two battery plants in the state.

Wi expressed his expectation that Lee and Trump will reaffirm the strong alliance and have in-depth discussions on ways to advance it, and the two lawmakers pledged their full support for a successful summit, the office said.

Van Duyne and McCormick also promised to support further US investments by Korean companies to strengthen economic cooperation and pledged to work together for bipartisan support in Congress for the Korea-US alliance, it noted.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and US President Donald Trump will hold their first summit in Washington on August 25 to discuss ways to bolster the two nations' alliance and cooperation in advanced industries, the presidential office said Tuesday.

Lee will depart for a three-day visit to the United States on August 24, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung told reporters, marking his first visit to the US since he took office in early June.

"The two leaders plan to discuss ways to develop the Korea-US alliance into a future-oriented, comprehensive strategic alliance in response to the changing international security and economic environment," Kang said.

"They will also discuss ways to establish peace on the Korean Peninsula and coordinate on denuclearization, while further strengthening the robust Korea-US combined deterrence posture," she added.

The talks will also cover industrial cooperation in the semiconductor, battery and shipbuilding sectors, as well as economic partnerships in cutting-edge technologies and critical minerals, based on the trade deal the two countries clinched earlier this month, Kang noted.

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