Yeo Han-goo, head of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, met with governors from 11 U.S. states to request expanded cooperation in advanced and strategic industries, including nuclear power, shipbuilding, and batteries. He also urged state governments to support Korean companies' investments and local operations.
The Ministry announced on August 2 that Yeo attended the 2026 National Governors Association (NGA) Summer Meeting held in Oklahoma City from July 30 to August 1, where he met with U.S. governors and industry representatives.
This visit to the U.S. comes about a week after Yeo's trip to Washington, D.C., from July 21 to 24, where he met with ten U.S. senators and representatives to explain the South Korean government's stance that its digital laws and policies do not discriminate against American companies, while also requesting expanded cooperation in key industries such as semiconductors, shipbuilding, and energy.
During this trip, Yeo broadened his outreach to include U.S. state governments. Over three days, he held consecutive meetings with governors from Tennessee, Colorado, Wyoming, North Carolina, Delaware, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Utah, Maryland, South Dakota, and Vermont.
Yeo introduced the current status of cooperation in sectors where Korean companies have established a presence, including automotive, batteries, energy, critical minerals, and shipbuilding. He requested support in identifying mutually beneficial cooperation projects and facilitating investments and business activities of Korean companies.
Discussions also focused on U.S.-South Korea nuclear power cooperation. The U.S. Department of Energy is promoting the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Innovation Campus (NLIC) project to establish a comprehensive nuclear fuel cycle hub. On July 28, five states—Tennessee, Oklahoma, Utah, Louisiana, and Idaho—were selected as candidates from a total of 26 applicants.
Yeo discussed nuclear cooperation plans with the governors of Tennessee, Oklahoma, and Utah, who agreed on the need for collaboration across the entire nuclear fuel cycle, including uranium, nuclear power plant construction and operation, and spent fuel management.
Yeo also met with Gina Raimondo, former U.S. Secretary of Commerce, to exchange views on trade issues and the development of U.S.-South Korea economic and trade relations. Both sides agreed on the importance of cooperation in strategic industries closely related to economic security, such as shipbuilding and nuclear power.
At a business roundtable organized by the Oklahoma Chamber of Commerce, Yeo reviewed the status of cooperation with over ten U.S. companies in aerospace, biotechnology, defense, and finance, and discussed future plans.
Yeo emphasized, "For strategic cooperation between our two countries to yield tangible results, the role of state governments in supporting our companies' investments and activities in the U.S. is crucial. We should actively identify and pursue cooperation projects that can benefit both sides at the state government level."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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