White House Again Claims "South Korea to Invest $54 Billion in Alaska LNG"

'Karoline Leavitt's Successor' Takes Over as White House Spokesperson
Highlights South Korea's $200 Billion Investment at First Briefing
Details Plans for 8 Nuclear Plants and Alaska LNG

The South Korean government has said that whether it will invest in the Alaska liquefied natural gas (LNG) project, and how much, has not been decided. Yet the White House has once again spoken of South Korea's planned $54 billion (about KRW 70 trillion) investment as if it were a done deal. The move is seen as an attempt by U.S. President Donald Trump to highlight investment gains in the United States and boost his domestic approval ratings ahead of the November midterm elections.

Katie Zacharia, a White House spokesperson, holds her first briefing at the White House on the 13th (local time). AP-Yonhap News

According to the White House on the 13th (local time), newly appointed White House spokesperson Katie Zacharia discussed the Trump Administration's success in attracting investment during her first official briefing since taking office, mentioning South Korea's planned energy investment in the United States. "President Trump also announced a Korean energy investment package worth up to $200 billion in the United States," she said, calling it an "incredible agreement."

Spokesperson Zacharia also listed specific projects. "This includes up to $120 billion to build eight large-scale nuclear power plants," she said. "It also includes $54 billion for the Alaska LNG pipeline and terminal, which will supply fuel to countries along the Pacific coast and sell it to allies, and $22.3 billion for a 6-GW natural gas power facility in Texas."

The South Korean government, by contrast, maintains that it has not made an investment decision on the Alaska LNG project. President Trump announced South Korea's planned $54 billion investment at the White House on September 30, but the South Korean government countered that the investment amount and structure had not been finalized. At the time, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Kim Jung-kwan made clear that South Korea would not pursue the project unless it was commercially viable. South Korea says it will decide whether to participate after reviewing the project's commercial viability and investment terms.

The United States has repeatedly promoted South Korea's investment as a virtually finalized achievement. President Trump previously denied claims that the announcement of South Korea's investment had been premature. Earlier this month, Vice President J.D. Vance acknowledged that the United States still needed to work out specific details with South Korea regarding the Alaska LNG project.

President Trump is also scheduled to campaign in Wasilla, Alaska, on the 14th in support of Republican Senator Dan Sullivan's reelection bid. The speech was scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. Eastern time. Senator Sullivan is currently in a close race with Mary Peltola, a former Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives.

The Washington Post (WP) noted that President Trump would fly 3,400 miles (about 5,472 km) from Washington, D.C., to Wasilla to help Senator Sullivan, saying that this "shows how urgently Republicans need to rally their core supporters to retain their majority in the Senate."

Katie Zacharia, White House spokesperson. AP-Yonhap News

When President Trump announced South Korea's planned investment in the United States from the Oval Office at the White House on September 30, he also had Senator Sullivan attend the event and highlighted his role in advancing the Alaska LNG project. Observers say the move was intended to tout the large-scale energy investment plan as a boost to the regional economy, amid waning support in Alaska, a traditionally Republican-leaning state, as high inflation and rising energy prices take their toll.

Spokesperson Zacharia, who gave her first official briefing on the 14th, also drew attention. She succeeded former spokesperson Karoline Leavitt, who left the post in August, and had worked as a conservative commentator for outlets including Fox News and Newsmax. She also served as a communications adviser to Trump Media & Technology Group and is a mother of four. Zacharia said she was honored to work with President Trump and highlighted the Administration's economic and diplomatic achievements.

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