Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Eui-sun, LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo, and Hanwha Group Vice Chairman Kim Dong-kwan attended the gathering at Trump International Golf Club West Palm Beach, according to the White House and industry sources.
The meeting marked the first time South Korean chaebol chiefs have collectively engaged with a U.S. president in such an informal setting, underscoring the urgency Seoul places on securing favorable trade terms.
Trump's limousine entered the golf course at 9:15 a.m. local time and left at about 4:50 p.m., spending about seven and a half hours at the venue before returning to his Mar-a-Lago estate, the White House said.
The Korean executives traveled together by airport shuttle bus, people familiar with the matter said. While it remained unclear whether Trump played rounds with the Korean leaders, the extended duration suggested ample opportunity for discussions over lunch or between games.
Industry watchers said the talks likely centered on South Korean investment commitments in the United States and concerns over potential tariffs affecting semiconductors, automobiles, batteries and shipbuilding.
The golf summit comes as Seoul's economic and trade officials have mobilized in the U.S. for intensive negotiations ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in South Korea later this month, where a bilateral agreement could be finalized.
reporter
Kim Dong-young
davekim0807@ajupress.com
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