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President Moon Jae-in his keynote address to the South Korea-US Business Summit in Washington DC on the evening of June 28. (Blue House photo pool)

“While the South Korean government’s plan [for resolving the North Korean nuclear issue] is being carried out, you’ll be provided with opportunities for confidently investing in South Korea and even in North Korea,” President Moon Jae-in told major figures in US business on June 28, during his visit to Washington for the South Korea-US summit.

“The security risk is a challenge that we must overcome, but when we overcome it, we’ll have new opportunities,” Moon said during his keynote address to the South Korea-US Business Summit on the evening of June 28, the first day of his US visit. The summit was attended by over 250 businesspeople from South Korea and the US.

“South Korea and the US are indivisible economic partners who have written their history of mutual prosperity thanks to their alliance. I hope that our two countries’ economic cooperation will go beyond the mutual commerce and expanded investment of the past as we develop into strategic economic partners that open up the global market,” Moon said.

President Moon Jae-in his keynote address to the South Korea-US Business Summit in Washington DC on the evening of June 28. (Blue House photo pool)

Prior to attending the business summit, Moon held a separate “tea talk” with South Korean business leaders who had accompanied him on his visit to the US. This meeting was attended by Federation of Korean Trade Unions President Kim Ju-young and over 50 business leaders, including Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chairman Park Yong-man.

“Businesspeople apparently think of me as being pro-labor, and they’re right. I was a labor attorney for a long time. But on the other hand, I provided legal counsel for corporations for a long time, too. I’m pro-business,” Moon said. “I think that South Korean society needs to become pro-business and pro-labor. I hope that you will trust the new administration’s economic policy by cranking up your investment and by creating more jobs.”

“I’d wanted to meet the people in business before anyone else, but I’m only meeting you now because it’s taken a while to fill positions on my economic team. When I get home, I’ll set up another meeting like this so we can have a proper introduction,” Moon promised.

After delivering his welcome message, Moon went around the five tables where the businesspeople were sitting and shook each of their hands. When Moon approached CJ Group Chairman Sohn Kyung-shik, a veteran of the business community, Moon greeted him by saying “it’s great for you to always join us and to see you in good health” and then briefly explained the reason for his visit to the US. “Seeing the warm reception we’re getting in the US, I think things will go well,” Sohn said, to which Moon quipped, “as long as I give them a good handshake,” eliciting laughter from the crowd of businesspeople.

By Choi Hye-jung, staff reporter

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