Trump expected to announce investment in Korea and the U.S. at the White House... Alaska LNG investment likely to be included

Bloomberg/Reuters reports... The White House is expected to personally announce Korea-US investment projects.

Korea classified Alaska LNG as a ‘subject to further discussion’… Trump makes a unilateral announcement

Observation of intent to support Republican candidate in close race in Alaska... Concerns over uncertainty about profitability

(Washington = Yonhap News) Correspondent Baek Na-ri = Foreign media reported that U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to announce Korea's investment project in the U.S. at the White House on the 30th (local time).

It is reported that the announcement includes investing $54 billion (73 trillion won) in the Alaska liquefied natural gas (LNG) development project. As the Korean government has classified the Alaska LNG project as a subject for future discussion, attention is being paid to how President Trump's announcement will be implemented.

Bloomberg News, citing multiple sources familiar with the matter, reported on the 29th that President Trump is expected to unveil a plan to invest $200 billion (270 trillion won) in Korean investments in the United States at the White House on the 30th.

The news agency explained that the announcement also includes investing $54 billion in the Alaska LNG development project.

Reuters also reported, citing two sources, that President Trump could announce Korea's investment project in the United States as early as the 30th, and that $54 billion will be invested in the Alaska LNG development project.

The Korean government recently reported to the National Assembly that it has decided to pursue the construction of a gas-fired combined cycle power plant in Encinal, Texas, as its first investment project in the United States worth $200 billion.

The construction of eight large nuclear power plants in the United States and the Alaska LNG development project are classified as tasks to be discussed at a later date.

Since the Alaska LNG development project is not a confirmed project, President Trump's specific announcement is attracting attention.

The possibility that President Trump may announce Korea's investment in the Alaska LNG development project as a fait accompli cannot be ruled out.

The Alaska LNG development project is a project that transports natural gas extracted from the North Slope of Alaska to the vicinity of Anchorage through a gas pipeline of approximately 1,300 km, liquefies it, and supplies it to demand sites.

Although President Trump has pursued it with considerable will, concerns have been raised that it is unclear whether profitability will be secured.

It was reported that even in the process of selecting Korea's investment project in the United States, the United States strongly requested the Alaska LNG development project. During a question-and-answer session with reporters earlier this month, President Trump also mentioned Korea and Japan in relation to the Alaska LNG development project.

Alaska is classified as a swing state ahead of the midterm elections in early November. President Trump won Alaska by a landslide during the 2024 presidential election, but there is currently a close race between Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan and the Democratic candidate for the Senate seat.

It seems likely that President Trump's announcement was planned to promote Sullivan's victory. Sullivan is actively supporting the Alaska LNG development project, and President Trump is known to be planning to visit Alaska in October to campaign in support.

Previously, on the 28th, President Trump also announced a plan to build a large steel mill worth $15 billion in Iowa. Iowa is also a strong Republican region where President Trump won greatly in the 2024 presidential election, but fierce competition is taking place in this midterm election.

Last year, Korea promised a total of $350 billion (473 trillion won) worth of investment in the United States, including shipbuilding cooperation ($150 billion) and strategic investment ($200 billion), under the condition of lowering tariffs from 25% to 15%.