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Hyundai Motor chief Euisun Chung to fly to U.S. to support tariff talks as deadline looms

Published: 30 Jul. 2025, 14:29 Updated: 30 Jul. 2025, 14:32

PAIK JI-HWAN
[email protected]

Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung, center, speaks to reporters at Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America in Georgia on March 26. [NEWS1]

Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung will fly to Washington on Wednesday afternoon to support the final stages of ongoing tariff negotiations between Korea and the United States, according to a Korean government official on Wednesday.

Chung is the third major business figure to join the government’s efforts, following Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong and Hanwha Group Vice Chairman Kim Dong-kwan. Korea and the United States are aiming to strike a deal before the negotiation deadline on Aug. 1.

Kim departed for Washington on Monday to discuss Korea’s proposed shipbuilding cooperation initiative, the Make American Shipbuilding Great Again project.

Lee also flew to the United States on Tuesday, where he is expected to offer an expanded semiconductor investment and joint development of AI chips as Korea's major negotiation cards.

Chung’s participation adds further weight to the Korean negotiation team. He worked closely with the Trump administration before, announcing Hyundai Motor Group's $21 billion investment plan in the United States, which includes a vehicle factory in Georgia and a low-carbon automotive steel plant in Louisiana — projects expected to create nearly 10,000 jobs.

While Japan successfully negotiated its tariff rate down to 15 percent, Korea is still working to reduce the 25 percent tariff currently in place.

BY YONHAP, PAIK JI-HWAN [[email protected]]