Chung Yong-jin Attends U.S. 'Foundry School' Launch Ceremony, Discusses AI Supply Chain Cooperation

[Financial News] Chung Yong-jin, chairman of Shinsegae Group, attended a U.S. Department of State event focused on developing talent for manufacturing and advanced industries, where he discussed ways to strengthen the global artificial intelligence (AI) supply chain with prominent figures from around the world.
According to Shinsegae Group on the 4th, Chung attended the launch ceremony of the 'Foundry School' at the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace in Washington, D.C., on the morning of the 3rd local time. Foundry School is a project promoted by the State Department to develop future talent capable of leading the manufacturing and advanced industries through collaboration among industry, academia, and research institutions.
Chung attended at the invitation of U.S. Vice President JD Vance and the State Department. Jacob Helberg, the State Department's deputy secretary for economic affairs who organized the event, met with Chung and said, "The partnership between Shinsegae Group and Reflection AI is an important milestone in South Korea-U.S. cooperation in advanced industries." He added, "Chairman Chung Yong-jin is a steadfast partner in the AI supply chain alliance."
Foundry School is one of the implementation strategies of Pax Silica, a multilateral economic security consultative body launched under U.S. leadership last December. Through Pax Silica, the United States is pursuing plans to reorganize technology supply chains across semiconductors, AI, advanced manufacturing, and energy around trusted allies. South Korea participates in Pax Silica alongside key U.S. allies, including Japan, Australia, Singapore, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.
Foundry School was jointly planned by the State Department and Stanford University. Backed by government support, industry and academia will work together to pass on the expertise and strategies of global innovative companies to future generations and develop talent capable of creating real products and services. The broader vision is to cultivate entrepreneurs, engineers, and leaders in advanced manufacturing across the Pax Silica economic bloc.
The launch ceremony was attended by prominent U.S. political figures, including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, House Republican Leader Steve Scalise, and Deputy Secretary Helberg. Business leaders from the AI and semiconductor industries were also present, including Dina Powell McCormick, president of Meta Platforms; Sanjay Mehrotra, CEO of Micron Technology; and Gary E. Dickerson, CEO of Applied Materials.
In his speech, Vice President Vance said, "Industrial security is national security," adding, "Through Foundry School, we will provide opportunities for the next generation of entrepreneurs and engineers and show them that they have a future." Secretary Rubio also said, "To achieve the goal of reindustrialization, the three pillars of universities, industry, and government must move together." He added, "Foundry School will be a long-term project."
Misha Laskin, founder and CEO of U.S.-based Reflection AI, Shinsegae Group's AI data center partner, also spoke at the event. During a panel discussion, Laskin referred to Chung and said, "The cooperation with Shinsegae Group, being carried out under Chairman Chung Yong-jin's leadership, demonstrates a strong South Korea-U.S. partnership while also providing a good example of how the United States and its allies can work together in practice."
After Shinsegae Group signed a partnership with Reflection AI in March for a large-scale domestic AI data center project, the two companies have been working on practical matters, including establishing a joint venture and selecting a site. Their AI data center collaboration has drawn attention as the first project under the State Department's 'AI Export Program,' which aims to promote the global spread of trusted AI.
Chung held conversations with Laskin, Vice President Vance, Secretary Rubio, House Republican Leader Scalise, Deputy Secretary Helberg, Meta Platforms President Powell, and others, emphasizing the importance of South Korea-U.S. cooperation for the success of Pax Silica.
Chung emphasized, "Successfully leading an advanced-industry supply chain alliance centered on the United States is a task of our time." He added, "If South Korea and the United States join forces, we will be able to create even greater synergy."
[email protected] Jang Yu-ha Reporter