Trump Unveils South Korea's $200 Billion US Investment Plan

President Donald Trump announced three major energy projects on Wednesday under South Korea's $200 billion investment pledge to the United States. The initiatives cover a Texas gas-fired power complex, a framework for eight nuclear reactors, and a review of the long-stalled Alaska LNG export project.

The Texas development, named Project Star, involves a $22.3 billion, 6,472-megawatt combined-cycle gas power complex in Encinal designed to supply electricity directly to nearby AI data centers. This marks the first formal investment under the agreement reached alongside last year's bilateral trade deal.

“We're thrilled to announce one of the largest energy infrastructure investments in American history.”

The nuclear plan establishes a framework requiring separate approval for each of the eight proposed large-scale plants. Meanwhile, the two governments agreed to review participation in the Alaska LNG project, which has secured preliminary agreements with importers but awaits a final investment decision.

South Korea's Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan emphasized commercial reasonableness as the central test for the investments. He stated Seoul approached negotiations determined not to waste taxpayer money, closely examining each project's returns, risks, and recovery prospects.

The $200 billion commitment represents the first tranche of a broader $350 billion investment package. Washington lowered tariffs on most South Korean goods to 15 percent under the accompanying trade agreement.