S. Korean PM Kim Min-seok US Visit 2026: Navigating the $350 Billion Semiconductor Tariff Deal

He's shaking hands, but the tariff walls remain high. Prime Minister Kim Min-seok landed at Dulles International Airport on January 22, 2026, to kick off a high-stakes mission: shielding South Korea's semiconductor giants from looming U.S. trade barriers.

S. Korean PM Kim Min-seok US Visit 2026: Semiconductor Tariffs at Stake

According to Yonhap News, this marks the first standalone trip to the U.S. by a South Korean premier since the country's democratization in the late 1980s. The visit comes at a critical juncture. U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick recently warned that memory chipmakers might face new tariffs if they don't ramp up their manufacturing footprint within the United States.

At the heart of the discussions is a massive trade and investment deal. Seoul has reportedly committed to investing $350 billion in the U.S. in exchange for Washington lowering 'reciprocal' tariffs on Korean goods from 25% to 15%. A U.S. official noted that the Trump administration is looking to strike 'separate' agreements with individual nations, making Kim's diplomacy vital for the tech sector's stability.

Potential Sit-down with VP JD Vance

Officials are working to finalize a meeting between PM Kim and Vice President JD Vance. During his five-day visit, Kim will also travel to New York to engage with lawmakers and the Korean-American community. The delegation's goal is clear: ensure that the massive investment pledges translate into concrete tariff relief for Korean exporters.