U.S. Ambassador to South Korea: “A promise made in U.S.-Korea relations is always kept”

[Financial News] U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Michelle Steel on the 15th said, “A promise made in U.S.-Korea relations is always kept,” indirectly urging the two countries to follow through on their strategic investments. She also raised U.S. companies’ access to the South Korean market and fair treatment, saying economic cooperation between the two countries should be translated into tangible investment and business results.
Speaking at the 36th Korea-U.S. Business Council meeting held that day at the FKI Tower in Yeouido, Seoul, Ambassador Steel said in her congratulatory remarks, “Now we expect to roll up our sleeves in earnest and put this agreement into action.”
Ambassador Steel’s remarks are seen as spelling out her intent to move the framework for economic cooperation established through negotiations between the two countries—including the Texas Encinal gas-fired combined-cycle power plant and a project to build eight large nuclear power plants—toward concrete implementation.
Amid statements by the U.S. government, including President Donald Trump, treating South Korea’s investment in the U.S. Alaska liquefied natural gas (LNG) project as a foregone conclusion, Ambassador Steel stressed, “I hope we can also make progress on other items in the agreement reached by President Trump and President Lee Jae Myung in November 2025. These include provisions on U.S. companies’ access to the South Korean market and fair treatment in Korea.”
The event, co-hosted by the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) and the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea (AMCHAM Korea), brought together political and business figures from both countries, including FKI Chairman Ryu Jin, Evan Greenberg, chair of the U.S.-Korea Business Council, and Kim Jung-kwan, South Korea’s Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy.
However, Ambassador Steel stressed, “U.S.-Korea relations have always meant more than any single agreement,” adding, “The cooperation between our two countries, built over more than 70 years, is founded on shared values, mutual trust, and a commitment to security.”
Ambassador Steel also highlighted the impact of economic cooperation on industry and employment in both countries, saying, “Today, the strong economic relationship between our two countries supports jobs, drives innovation, and strengthens industries in both nations.” 
Ambassador Steel also called for joint action to strengthen supply chains and industrial competitiveness, saying, “Robust supply chains, resilient industries, and reliable partners are critically important. Few are better positioned to address today’s challenges than the United States and Korea working side by side.”
She added, “There is still much we can build together. We celebrate the freedom to build, innovate, and invest. As we work together to foster the industries of the future, our economic cooperation will grow even stronger.” 
[email protected] Kim Hak-jae Reporter