Economy & Trade - Korea Economic Institute of America

Q3 2026 U.S.-South Korea Trade and Investment Ledger

On September 30, the United States and South Korea announced the first investments under their strategic investment memorandum of understanding (MOU). “Project Star” commits USD...

Tom Ramage

October 1, 2026

Analysis

How South Korea Can Cope With Volatility in Global Bond Markets

Yields on long-term government bonds have risen significantly in major economies during the past year. The increase in long-term yields is driven by several factors,...

Randall S. Jones

September 28, 2026

Analysis

Energy for AI Leads South Korea’s U.S. Investment Pipeline

South Korea has picked a Texas gas-fired power plant as the first project under its USD 350 billion investment commitment to the United States. The...

Tom Ramage

September 25, 2026

Analysis

Louisiana Steel, American Cars: What Hyundai Steel’s Investment Means for U.S. Manufacturing

On September 4, 2026, Hyundai Steel marked the start of a USD 5.8 billion steel plant project an hour west of New Orleans in Donaldsonville,...

Hyun Jung “Jessie” Je

September 22, 2026

Analysis

Jessie Je on South Korea’s First Project Under the $350 Billion Investment Pact

KEI Senior Fellow and Director for External Engagement Hyun Jung “Jessie” Je spoke with Reuters about South Korea’s selection of a Texas gas-fired power plant...

Hyun Jung “Jessie” Je

September 22, 2026

News

Kansas City’s Competitive Edge for South Korean Investors

On the evening of June 24, 1950, Harry Truman was at home in Independence, Missouri, when Secretary of State Dean Acheson telephoned to say North...

Arius Derr

September 21, 2026

Analysis

Jessie Je on U.S. Tariff Policy and Korean Corporate Strategy

KEI Senior Fellow and Director for External Engagement Hyun Jung “Jessie” Je was quoted in Edaily on the durability of U.S. tariff policy, and on...

Hyun Jung “Jessie” Je

September 21, 2026

News

North Korean Traders Are Quietly Engaging Chinese Capitalists

North Korea’s won has lost roughly four-fifths of its value against the dollar in two years, and its trade deficit with China ran near USD...

William Brown

September 8, 2026

Analysis

Tariffs on Korean Imports: Implications for U.S. Manufacturing and Investment

Since the Donald Trump administration took office in 2025, the United States has imposed a broad range of tariffs to advance national security, strengthen supply-chain...

Hyun Jung “Jessie” Je

September 3, 2026

Analysis

Arms Sales to Russia and Trade With China Drive North Korea’s Economic Recovery

North Korea’s economy grew 3.5 percent in 2025, the third straight year above 3 percent, according to the Bank of Korea (Figure 1). Output has now passed its...

Randall S. Jones

September 2, 2026

Analysis

South Korea Should Be an Economic Model for Besieged Cuba

As the United States continues to tighten sanctions against Cuba, the country is looking externally for examples of state-driven economic development to apply back home....

Benjamin R. Young

August 27, 2026

Analysis

Continued Anticipation for Strategic Projects Under the U.S.-South Korea Investment MOU

The one-year mark of the U.S.-South Korean investment memorandum of understanding (MOU) is approaching this fall—without a single investment announcement. By contrast, Japan has announced...

Nils Wollesen Osterberg

August 26, 2026

Analysis

Scott Snyder on South Korea’s Stalled Investment Pledge

KEI President and CEO Scott Snyder spoke with The Dispatch about Washington’s frustration with the pace of South Korea’s promised investments under last year’s trade...

Scott Snyder

August 25, 2026

News

Q2 2026 U.S.-South Korea Trade and Investment Ledger

America’s new tariff framework comes alongside significant South Korean investment into strategic sectors across the United States, and Q2 2026 showed this pattern taking hold...

Tom Ramage

July 30, 2026

Analysis

Explaining South Korea’s Stock Market Boom

The KOSPI, South Korea’s benchmark stock market index, nearly doubled during the first half of 2026, the largest increase in the world (Figure 1, Panel...

Randall S. Jones

July 22, 2026

Analysis