U.S-Korea partnership

Global Affairs Lab Policy Brief October 2026 Executive Summary In this brief, “the investment package” refers to the Korea-U.S. strategic investment project plan covering Project Star, Project Power and Project North. South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced three strategic investment projects under the Korea-U.S. Strategic Investment Memorandum of Understanding: Project Star, the Texas gas combined-cycle power project; Project Power, the Korea-U.S. nucl

Assessing How Korea’s First U.S. Strategic Investment Could Open Broader Opportunities Across Power, ESS, Grid Equipment, Construction, and Nuclear EnergyAs of September 29, 2026 1. The Significance of Korea’s First U.S. Investment Goes Beyond a Single Power Plant South Korea’s first strategic investment project in the United States, the proposed Encinal combined-cycle gas power project in Texas, should no longer be viewed simply as the first execution of the broader $350 bil

An Analysis of the Texas Encinal Power Project and the Emerging Korea-U.S. Strategic Investment FrameworkAs of September 28, 2026 1. Korea’s First U.S. Investment Marks the Transition from Agreement to Implementation The selection of the Encinal power project represents an important shift in the Korea-U.S. investment framework. Until recently, much of the debate surrounding the agreement focused on the scale of South Korea’s commitment, its relationship with U.S. tariff polic

1. Overview South Korea is moving closer to launching a major energy investment initiative in the United States as part of the follow-up to the bilateral trade agreement reached last year. The projects currently under discussion include the construction of up to eight nuclear reactors in the United States and a large-scale natural gas power project in Texas. The combined value of these investments could exceed $100 billion. The significance of the initiative extends well beyo

1. Background The U.S. shipbuilding industry is facing structural challenges, including declining shipyard capacity, shortages of skilled workers, and weakened supply chains. At the same time, China’s dominance in global commercial shipbuilding has led Washington to reassess shipbuilding not simply as a manufacturing sector, but as a critical industry linked directly to national security and maritime strategy. In response, the U.S. government is increasingly seeking to rebuil

For illustrative purposes only The launch of the Korea-U.S. Shipbuilding Partnership Center (KUSPC) in Washington, D.C., along with the full-scale initiation of the $150 billion shipbuilding cooperation project (MASGA), marks a crucial turning point signaling that the economic and maritime security alliance between the two nations has entered a tangible execution phase in the manufacturing sector. Currently, the United States faces severe challenges in maintaining naval vesse

The U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Navy's decision to issue Requests for Information (RFIs) to South Korea's three leading shipbuilders—HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, Hanwha Ocean, and Samsung Heavy Industries—for combat vessels and naval auxiliary ships marks an important milestone in the evolution of U.S.–ROK shipbuilding cooperation. The move is widely regarded as a highly unusual step, reflecting Washington's willingness to formally assess South Korea's naval shipb

Photo Credit: Seoul Metropolitan Government The "Garden of Gratitude" (featuring the landmark installation Light of Gratitude 23) has officially opened its doors in Gwanghwamun Square—the symbolic heart of Seoul and the epicenter of South Korea’s history and culture. While the project faced domestic debate and political friction regarding urban aesthetics and spatial openness during its construction, stripping away these short-term political lenses reveals the profound geopol