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Korea to form working-level team for preliminary review of U.S. investments

Published: 15 Feb. 2026, 13:53

Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan speaks at the inaugural Korea-U.S. strategic investment memorandum of understanding implementation committee meeting held in Seoul on Feb. 13. [YONHAP]

Korea is preparing to form a team of working-level specialists to back a newly launched government committee tasked with the preliminary review of potential investment projects in the United States as part of a trade deal between the two countries, trade authorities said Sunday.

The move comes shortly after the Korea-U.S. strategic investment memorandum of understanding (MOU) implementation committee held its inaugural meeting on Friday to explore potential projects, as the National Assembly also seeks to legislate a special bill to support possible investments, according to the authorities.

Led by Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan and comprising vice ministerial officials from relevant ministries and chiefs of state-run financial institutions, the committee will serve as the "single window" overseeing investment consultations with the United States and assessing the commercial viability and economic value of potential projects, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources.

The government reportedly plans to dispatch officials from relevant ministries, as well as include financial, legal and market experts on U.S. investments to support the committee.

The launch of the MOU implementation committee came after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to raise "reciprocal" tariffs and auto duties on Korea back to 25 percent last month, citing a delay in Seoul's legislative process to implement the bilateral trade deal finalized late last year.

The MOU on strategic investment between the two countries was made as part of the deal, with Korea committing to a $350 billion investment in the United States in exchange for tariff cuts.

Earlier this month, the National Assembly also formed a special committee to expedite the legislation of the special bill on investment in the United States.

Yonhap