KOTRA Moving US Headquarters to Washington... President Kang Kyung-sung Announces "Top-Down" Response

Presiding Over the '2025 North America Trade and Investment Expansion Strategy Meeting' in Silicon Valley, U.S.
"Supporting Entry into U.S. Supply Chains for Shipbuilding, Bio, Automotive Parts, and Power Equipment"

KOTRA has decided to relocate its North America regional headquarters from New York to Washington D.C. and will support companies investing in the U.S. through a 'top-down' approach. Utilizing U.S. manufacturing promotion policies, it plans to discover and provide opportunities for entry into supply chains in the shipbuilding, bio, automotive parts, and power equipment sectors.

Kang Kyung-sung, President of KOTRA, is speaking at the 2025 North America Trade and Investment Expansion Strategy Meeting held on the 10th (local time) at the U.S. Silicon Valley Trade Center. Photo by KOTRA

KOTRA announced on the 12th that President Kang Kyung-sung chaired the North America Trade and Investment Expansion Strategy Meeting at the Silicon Valley Trade Center in San Jose, U.S., on the 10th (local time). President Kang reviewed local export and investment issues with the North America regional headquarters and the heads of 10 trade centers.

Korea's exports to the U.S. have shown growth by setting record highs for seven consecutive years. Last year, exports to the U.S. amounted to $128.7 billion (approximately 190 trillion KRW), accounting for 18.7% of total exports. The largest export destination is China (19.5%).

KOTRA plans to relocate the North America regional headquarters from New York to Washington D.C. this year to monitor U.S. government trends and strengthen exchanges with key personnel. The goal is to quickly disseminate information to the government and companies and leverage opportunities arising from building U.S.-centered supply chains and U.S.-China decoupling policies.

President Kang told the trade center heads, "Key U.S. economic and trade policies are expected to be rapidly implemented early in the new administration," adding, "We must strengthen local monitoring to quickly disseminate information for our companies and identify new business demands."

At the meeting, President Kang discussed ▲ disseminating opportunities arising from changes in U.S. new administration trade policies ▲ utilizing North America-centered manufacturing promotion policies and expanding supply chain entry ▲ strategies to strengthen entry into the North American energy market.

He summarized the trade policies of the second Trump administration as strengthening sanctions against China, improving the trade balance, and expanding jobs within the U.S. It was anticipated that within two years of the four-year term, a strong policy drive would be implemented through executive orders to achieve visible results.

He diagnosed that for Korean companies to establish themselves stably in the U.S. market during this period, a top-down business strategy based on changes in trade policies is necessary. KOTRA plans to strengthen the U.S. trade monitoring system and hold a trade forum immediately after the new administration takes office.

The new U.S. administration is expected to focus on manufacturing promotion through 'Buy American' policies such as tariffs, reshoring policies, and corporate tax cuts. President Kang said, "Based on U.S. policies and market demand, opportunities for our companies are expected to expand in sectors such as automotive parts, power equipment, shipbuilding, energy infrastructure, and bio."

KOTRA will increase matching between local trade centers and companies. For example, last year, the Detroit Trade Center proactively secured replacement demand for Chinese parts from finished car companies like General Motors (GM) and Ford, matched suitable Korean companies, and closely supported contract signing, resulting in order achievements. This year, to support Korean companies' entry into the North American value chain, KOTRA will strengthen step-by-step support such as 'global company demand discovery-partnering-incubating,' build mutually complementary partnerships in advanced industries like semiconductors, artificial intelligence (AI), and robotics, and provide the latest information and customized consulting related to investment and entry.

KOTRA will implement strategies to strengthen entry into the North American energy market. The new U.S. administration plans to pursue energy policies that return to fossil fuels. In the U.S. energy market, deregulation of fossil fuels, increased import tariffs in the renewable energy sector to reduce dependence on China, and expansion of the power grid are expected.

KOTRA plans to support building trust between U.S. buyers and Korean companies from a long-term perspective. It will discover promising companies for entry through collaboration with energy-related institutions such as Korea Electric Power Corporation. Utilizing the 'K-Grid Alliance,' formed last December by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and power groups, KOTRA plans to increase exports of the power industry to the U.S. under the 'Team Korea' brand.

President Kang emphasized, "KOTRA will devote all efforts to support Korean companies with innovative manufacturing technologies to play a key partner role in the new U.S. administration."

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