U.S. President Donald Trump and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung talk to reporters before an Oval Office meeting at the White House on Aug. 25, 2025 in Washington, D.C.
Chip Somodevilla | Getty Images News | Getty Images
The U.S. and South Korea announced a series of agreements Monday in Washington, including multibillion-dollar investments, record $50 billion aviation purchases by Korean Air, and new energy cooperation, as leaders from both countries met in the Oval Office.
This includes a $150 billion investment pledge from South Korean companies, an order of 103 airplanes from Boeing, purchases of South Korean ships and a shipbuilding partnership.
“We really sort of need each other. We love what they do. We love their products. We love their ships. We love a lot of the things that they make, and they love what we have,” U.S. President Donald Trump said during his press conference with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung.
The announcements followed a July trade deal that lowered U.S. tariffs on South Korean exports — including autos — to 15% from 25%.
As part of the deal, Seoul committed $350 billion in investments in the U.S., with $150 billion earmarked for shipbuilding cooperation.
It was not immediately clear if Monday’s pledge overlapped with that earlier figure, although Reuters reported that the $150 billion pledge was separate from the $350 billion that the July deal encompassed.
Lee said in his remarks that “I believe that there is a renaissance taking place not only in the shipbuilding sector but also in the manufacturing industry, and I hope that Korea can be a part of that renaissance.”
Separately, Korean Air announced an almost $50 billion deal to buy aircraft and engines from U.S. manufacturers.
The deal by South Korea’s flag carrier consists of a $36.2 billion purchase of 103 aircraft from U.S. aircraft manufacturer Boeing, as well as aircraft engines and maintenance services from GE Aerospace worth $13.7 billion.
South Korean media outlet Yonhap said this was the largest deal in the airline’s history.
Trump also said that the U.S. will partner with South Korea and Japan to develop Alaska’s natural gas reserves, although he did not disclose any details of the plan. Seoul had committed to purchase $100 billion of U.S. energy under its July deal.
Back in April, the foreign ministers of the U.S., South Korea and Japan met in Brussels and “committed to continue strengthening energy security and energy cooperation, underpinned by America’s LNG and other energy sources and technologies, in a mutually beneficial manner.”
They also reaffirmed their commitment to regional security, including countering North Korea’s nuclear program.
On Monday, Trump had expressed a desire to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un this year, saying, “I get along with him really well. I think he has a country of great potential, tremendous potential.”
Pyongyang did not immediately respond to Trump’s remarks, although its state media KCNA put out a statement Monday denouncing an ongoing annual military drill between the U.S. and South Korea, labeling Washington the “arch criminal threatening humankind with nukes and the main culprit disturbing peace.”
Trump and Kim had met for two summits during the U.S. President’s first term in office, but failed to come to any agreement on the North’s nuclear and ballistic missile program.
