South Korean Business Giants Announce $150 Billion Investment in U.S., Including $50 Billion for Aircraft Orders from Boeing

In a significant development, prominent South Korean corporations such as Korean Air and Hyundai announced multibillion-dollar deals in the United States following the summit between their respective leaders in Washington D.C.

At least four major South Korean conglomerates have disclosed deals and investment plans worth billions of dollars. The country’s leading airline, Korean Air, is planning to invest $50 billion in aircraft and engine orders from Boeing and others.

The total investment by South Korean businesses in the U.S. is projected to reach $150 billion, according to President Lee Jae Myung’s office.

President Lee concluded his inaugural summit with President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday. The summit followed a flurry of activities by Seoul to secure a last-minute tariff deal to avoid 25% tariffs on Korean exports to the U.S.

During the meeting, both sides agreed to impose reduced 15% tariffs on Korean goods and a $350 billion investment flow from Korea to the U.S., primarily in shipbuilding and other sectors like semiconductors, secondary batteries, biologics, and energy. It remains uncertain if the announced deals this week will be part of that total.

Accompanying President Lee were business executives from some of South Korea’s top conglomerates, including the CEOs of Samsung Electronics, SK Group, Hyundai Motor Group, LG, and Korean Air. The group attended a South Korea-US business roundtable post-summit. Executives from 21 American businesses, including Nvidia, OpenAI, IBM, Google, Boeing, and General Motors, also participated.

“To foster a manufacturing business renaissance where both countries can thrive, let’s strengthen our collaborations in strategic industries such as shipbuilding and high-tech sectors like semiconductors, AI, and bio to boost global competitiveness,” President Lee stated on Monday.

For the $50 billion deal, Korean Air intends to purchase 103 aircraft from Boeing, along with engines and a maintenance program from GE Aerospace and CFM International, as per their statement. The aircraft purchase order includes 20 Boeing 777-9s, 25 Boeing 787-10s, 50 Boeing 737-10s, and eight Boeing 777-8F freighters, which will be delivered in stages.

Hyundai Motor Group, on the other hand, plans to increase its $21 billion US investment by an additional $5 billion. The conglomerate, which owns automakers Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis, aims to expand automobile and parts production in the U.S. Some of the funds will also be used for constructing a new steel mill in Louisiana and a state-of-the-art robotics facility. The total investment from 2025 to 2028 is expected to generate around 25,000 direct jobs.

During the roundtable on Monday, South Korea’s state-owned Korea Gas Corporation signed a purchase agreement to buy 3.3 million additional tons of liquefied natural gas from the U.S. every year for a decade starting in 2028, according to Yonhap News Agency.

Samsung Heavy Industries, a significant player in South Korean shipbuilding, reportedly signed a strategic partnership with Oregon-based Vigor Marine Group to collaborate on maintenance, repair, and overhaul of US Navy support ships. This information was separately reported by Yonhap News Agency on Tuesday.