Koo Ja-yeol, Chairman of Muhyup, Meets Todd Young, U.S. Senator, to Discuss "Support for Korean Companies' Workforce Supply"

Trade Industry Meeting with Rep. Young on 29th
Request for Passage of Korean Skilled Worker Employment Visa (E-4) Bill
"KITA Leads Economic Security Dialogue Among Korea, US, and Japan"

The Korea International Trade Association (KITA) announced on the 30th that it held a trade industry meeting on the afternoon of the 29th, invited by U.S. Senator Todd Young of Indiana.

The meeting was attended by about 20 people, including KITA Chairman Koo Ja-yeol, Deputy Chief of Mission Joy Sakurai of the U.S. Embassy in Korea, Vice Chairman Lee Hwi-ryeong of SeAH Steel, Chairman Choi Myung-bae of Exicon, CEO Park Hye-rin of Omni System, Vice Chairman Lee Dong-seop of Iljin Group, and representatives of companies operating in Indiana.

Senator Young, marking the 70th anniversary of the Korea-U.S. alliance, formed the bipartisan pro-Korea Senate Korea Caucus along with Senator Jon Ossoff of Georgia in early June. This was his first visit to Korea.

Chairman Koo said, "At the foundation of the Korea-U.S.-Japan triangular framework established during the Korea-U.S.-Japan summit was the solid Korea-U.S. alliance," adding, "KITA will also play a pivotal role in expanding economic security cooperation at the private sector level."

He stated, "For the linked operation of the supply chain early warning system agreed upon at this summit, strengthening cooperation on artificial intelligence (AI) governance, and reinforcing supply chain solidarity to stabilize the supply of critical minerals, the role of companies is essential," and added, "KITA will lead active information exchange and opinion sharing among the three countries as a hub for Korean companies."

Chairman Koo requested Senator Young to support the U.S. political sphere in resolving workforce supply issues as the role and importance of Korean companies in U.S. security, energy, and infrastructure supply chain construction are increasing.

He said, "Since Korean companies investing in the U.S. are facing difficulties in workforce supply, I ask for Senator Young’s strong support for the passage of the Partner with Korea Act, which aims to secure skilled personnel." The Partner with Korea Act, introduced in both houses of the U.S. Congress in April, includes provisions for the U.S. government to issue up to 15,000 specialized employment visas (E-4) annually to Korean nationals with professional education and skills.

Koo Ja-yeol, Chairman of the Korea International Trade Association, greeting Todd Young, U.S. Senator from Indiana, at a trade industry meeting held on the 29th at the Grand Intercontinental Seoul Parnas in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul.
[Photo by Korea International Trade Association]

Senator Young said, "Based on the strong Korea-U.S. alliance, the two countries can cooperate in various fields such as supply chain strengthening, mineral security, and advanced technology," adding, "We will continue to exchange opinions with Korean companies so that the two countries can expand trade and investment cooperation not only in traditional trade agenda market openings but also in new agendas such as digital trade."

Chairman Koo led two trade delegations to the U.S. last year, conveying the difficulties faced by Korean companies operating in the U.S. to key figures in the administration, Congress, and state governments, and highlighting Korea’s importance as a partner in core industry supply chains.

Next month, KITA plans to dispatch an economic cooperation delegation to Washington D.C. KITA stated, "The delegation, led by Chairman Koo, will seek meetings with senior U.S. administration officials and federal legislators and hold networking reception events to continue Korea-U.S. economic exchange activities."

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