Trump May Announce South Korea's U.S. Investment Projects Including Alaska LNG as Early as Wednesday

By Song Sang-ho

WASHINGTON, Sept. 29 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Donald Trump could announce South Korea's investment projects in the United States, including a liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Alaska, under last year's bilateral trade agreement, as early as Wednesday, according to a news report.

Reuters reported Tuesday that Trump could announce his administration's plans to use South Korea's strategic investment fund for several major projects, including approximately US$54 billion for the Alaska LNG project. It cited two people familiar with the discussions.

Seoul and Washington have been in coordination to announce the investment projects under the trade agreement that committed the Asian country to investing $300 billion in the U.S. in return for lower U.S. tariffs on South Korean goods.

Last week, Seoul's industry ministry reported to the National Assembly that the two countries have chosen the construction of a large-scale gas-fired power plant in Texas as the first investment project, according to sources in Seoul.

As for the second and third projects, the ministry reported plans for the construction of eight large-scale nuclear reactors in the U.S. and for an LNG project in Alaska.