Samsung hosts gala in Washington amid tariff threat from Trump

SEOUL, January 29 (AJP) -Samsung Electronics Co. hosted a gala event on Jan. 28 at the Arts and Industries Building in Washington, D.C., in partnership with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art, to mark the successful run of Korean Treasures: Collected, Cherished, Shared, the first U.S. exhibition of masterpieces from the late Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee’s art collection.

Main hosts were the Lee founding family, including Hong Ra-hee, Director Emerita of the Leeum Museum of Art, Lee Boo-jin, President & CEO of Hotel Shilla, Lee Seo-hyun, President of Samsung C&T, and Kim Jae Youl, President of Samsung Global Research.

Among the 250 guests were Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, Senator Tim Scott, Senator Ted Cruz, Senator Andy Kim, Governor Wes Moore and Ambassador Kang Kyung-wha. Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Euisun Chung also in Washington attended the gala.
 

The event took place amid heightened trade tensions after U.S. President Donald Trump warned of sweeping tariff hikes of up to 25 percent on South Korean exports, citing delays in Seoul’s legislative procedures supporting a bilateral trade agreement reached last year.  

The timing has drawn attention as Samsung Electronics' Lee was in Washington during the same week, raising questions over whether the tycoon could serve as an informal channel of communication at a sensitive moment in U.S.–Korea trade relations.  

The tariff issue was underscored Wednesday by remarks from South Korea’s Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan, who said he would meet Lutnick the following day for talks on Trump’s recent threat to raise so-called “reciprocal” tariffs and additional levies on Korean automobiles, lumber and pharmaceuticals to 25 percent from 15 percent. 

Speaking upon arrival near Washington, Kim said the Trump administration appeared dissatisfied with the pace of Korea’s domestic legislative process.
 

“As far as I understand, (the Trump administration) appears to be dissatisfied with how the domestic legislative process has been progressing,” he said, adding that Lutnick shared that view. Kim said he planned to “provide sufficient explanation to ensure that there will be no misunderstandings” and to reaffirm Seoul’s commitment to cooperation and investment in the U.S.

Under the bilateral agreement, Korea pledged to invest $350 billion in return for Washington lowering reciprocal tariffs to 15 percent. An investment-support bill submitted by the ruling Democratic Party in November has yet to pass the National Assembly, a delay Trump has publicly criticized.

Meanwhile, the Washington exhibit featured more than 200 works selected from a personal collection of over 23,000 pieces amassed by the late chairman and was organized jointly by the National Museum of Asian Art, the National Museum of Korea, and the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea. 

At the gala, Lee thanked the organizing institutions and highlighted Washington as the first stop of the exhibition’s global tour. He also paid tribute to U.S. veterans of the Korean War, crediting their sacrifice with enabling South Korea’s postwar development and the preservation of its cultural heritage. 

“Memory and history are important to Koreans. That is part of why this exhibit means so much to me,” Lee said. “Despite the hardships of colonial rule and the Korean War, my father and grandfather believed it was their duty to safeguard the future of our culture. It was a tremendous honor to share this collection with you. I believe it’s our small contribution to bringing the American and Korean people closer together.”