South Korea to Brief Lawmakers on $350B US Investment Package as Profitability Questions Linger

South Korea's government will brief the National Assembly's trade committee on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, on a $350 billion US investment package tied to a trade deal that cut US tariffs on South Korean goods to 15%. Lawmakers described the 9:30 a.m. local briefing as one of the final steps before a formal announcement. Of the total, $150 billion is earmarked for shipbuilding; terms for the remaining $200 billion in strategic investment remain unresolved. Projects under discussion include a $22.3 billion, 6.3-gigawatt gas-fired plant in Encinal, Texas, and as many as eight large US nuclear reactors. Seoul has also weighed a minority stake in Westinghouse and participation in the Alaska LNG project. President Lee Jae Myung said Friday that commercial viability is now the sticking point, citing unresolved questions over returns, profit-sharing and loss treatment. Opposition lawmakers are demanding greater scrutiny, warning of lopsided financial risk. Delays risk renewed tariff friction with Washington.