Home > Business > Economy

Samsung chief Lee Jae-yong heads to U.S. to support tariff talks

Published: 29 Jul. 2025, 16:17

KIM MIN-YOUNG
[email protected]

Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong attends a presidential luncheon in central Seoul on June 13. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong departed for Washington on Tuesday to lend support to ongoing Korea-U.S. tariff negotiations.

Lee's visit comes as Seoul seeks to solidify economic ties with the United States ahead of the looming Aug. 1 deadline for "reciprocal" tariff exemptions.

Lee arrived at Gimpo Airport around 3:50 p.m. and left for the United States just three days before the U.S. tariffs on Korean imports are set to take effect. He is expected to offer expanded semiconductor investment and propose cooperation in advanced AI chip technologies as part of Korea’s negotiating strategy.

Tuesday's departure marks his first public activity since being acquitted by the Supreme Court 12 days earlier.

Samsung Electronics announced on Monday that it secured a $16.5 billion semiconductor foundry contract to manufacture and supply advanced chips using its 2-nanometer process technology from July 2025 through December 2033 to Elon Musk's EV company, Tesla.

BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [[email protected]]