Washington: South Korea and the United States have jointly hosted an energy business forum aimed at expanding cooperation between the two nations in the energy sector, as announced by Seoul's climate ministry. The forum took place on Wednesday, with participation from South Korea's Second Vice Climate Minister Lee Ho-hyeon and U.S. counterpart Alex Fitzsimmons, alongside major energy, financial, and heavy industry companies from both countries.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the participating companies included South Korea's Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO), Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co. (KHNP), LG Energy Solution Ltd., Samsung Heavy Industries Co., and Doosan Enerbility Co. On the U.S. side, representatives from JP Morgan, ExxonMobil, GE Vernova, and NextEra Energy were present. The forum served as a platform for these entities to discuss potential areas of collaboration in the energy domain.
Earlier in the week, Lee attended a conference co-hosted by the Atlantic Council and KHNP to mark the 70th anniversary of a cooperation agreement on the peaceful use of atomic energy between Seoul and Washington. During this event, Lee emphasized the need for enhanced nuclear power cooperation while maintaining efforts towards nuclear non-proliferation.
Additionally, on Tuesday, Lee participated in the 10th global energy forum organized by the Atlantic Council. This event saw the attendance of U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright and senior energy officials from major economies. In his keynote speech, Lee addressed power security during the electrification era and underscored the significance of critical mineral supply chains amidst increasing power demand driven by advanced industries.
Lee expressed the outcomes of his visit to the U.S. in a press release, stating, "Through this week's trip to the U.S., we have taken the Korea-U.S. nuclear partnership, which has continued for 70 years, to the next level by expanding it into a broader energy and industrial alliance."