Minister Won Hee-ryong Discusses Land and Transportation Cooperation Plans with U.S. Ambassador to Korea

Request for Consideration of Korean Companies Related to IRA

Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong (left) and Philip S. Goldberg, U.S. Ambassador to Korea, are shaking hands.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Min-young] Won Hee-ryong, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, met with Philip S. Goldberg, the newly appointed U.S. Ambassador to Korea, at the Land Development Exhibition Hall in Jeong-dong, Seoul, to discuss Korea-U.S. cooperation measures.

According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on the 8th, the meeting held on the 7th was arranged to congratulate Ambassador Goldberg, who assumed office on July 29, and to share and discuss current issues between Korea and the U.S. in the fields of transportation and infrastructure.

Ambassador Goldberg expressed his gratitude to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport for their joint efforts to normalize Korea-U.S. air routes that had been reduced due to the pandemic. He also requested the Ministry’s continued cooperation to ensure the timely commencement of the relocation project for the U.S. Embassy staff housing, which is being promoted in collaboration with the Ministry.

He added that he hopes for active investment by Korean companies in the outdated road and airport infrastructure within the United States.

In response, Minister Won stated, "The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport is fostering Urban Air Mobility (UAM) as a future industry of Korea, and we hope that the UAM business will advance quickly through active exchange of technology and systems between the two countries." He added, "U.S. companies mainly excel in design, business development, and finance, while our companies are recognized for their excellence in construction. Therefore, if companies from both countries collaborate in the U.S. or third countries, we expect even better results."

Regarding the U.S. Embassy staff housing relocation project, he also said, "We will maintain continuous interest and cooperate with related ministries to ensure timely commencement."

Minister Won requested special attention and consideration for Korean companies operating in the U.S., taking into account the close cooperative relationship between the two countries, despite understanding the purpose and intent of the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

Ambassador Goldberg replied, "I have already received concerns through various channels such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, and I understand that in-depth discussions are underway in the home country. I will also convey Minister Won’s remarks well to the home country."

Through this meeting, Minister Won and Ambassador Goldberg agreed to further strengthen and promote exchanges between the two countries in the construction and transportation sectors within the framework of the Korea-U.S. alliance.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.