Top executives from South Korea’s major conglomerates expressed their enthusiasm for the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju during their meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago. They also discussed investments in the U.S., with President Trump reportedly expressing gratitude for their commitments. While the business leaders conversed with President Trump, they did not play golf in the same group.
Korean Business Leaders Eagerly Anticipating President Trump’s Visit and Discussed U.S. Investments
Industry sources reported on Monday that Lee Jae Yong, Chairman of Samsung Electronics; Choi Tae-won, Chairman of SK Group; Chung Eui-sun, Chairman of Hyundai Motor Group; Koo Kwang-mo, Chairman of LG Group; and Kim Dong-kwan, Vice Chairman of Hanwha Group engaged in wide-ranging discussions with President Trump before and after their golf outing on October 18 at Mar-a-Lago in Florida.
The event, organized by Masayoshi Son, Chairman of Japan’s SoftBank Group, celebrated the 90th birthday of South African golf legend Gary Player. The Korean business leaders attended at Son’s invitation.
The golf meeting took place at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, just a 10-minute drive from President Trump’s private Mar-a-Lago resort.
According to the White House press pool, President Trump arrived at Trump International Golf Club around 9:15 a.m. and departed at 4:52 p.m., spending approximately 7 hours and 35 minutes on the course. A typical round of golf for a foursome takes about five hours. Reports suggest that the Korean executives met with President Trump for discussions following their round of golf.
President Trump reportedly thanked the Korean business leaders for their ongoing investments in the U.S. and encouraged further investment in key manufacturing sectors, such as shipbuilding. Analysts speculate that the executives—leaders in industries including semiconductors, automobiles, batteries, and electronics—likely explored potential synergies with the U.S. Trump also expressed anticipation for his upcoming visit to South Korea for the APEC summit later this month, although tariffs were reportedly not directly addressed.
The Korean business leaders echoed their excitement regarding President Trump’s visit to South Korea. Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung stated that there’s great anticipation for President Trump’s visit to Korea, adding, they’re all working together to ensure thorough preparations. Chung had previously met with President Trump in March at the White House, where he announced a 21 billion USD investment plan in the U.S.
Golf with Trump Doesn’t Materialize; Korean Executives Paired with U.S. Officials
It appears that the Korean business leaders did not play golf directly with President Trump. The event was organized in a foursome format, with Trump paired with Son, professional golfer Gary Player, and Bryson DeChambeau.
Other groups reportedly included one U.S. government official, one professional golfer, and two business leaders, suggesting that the Korean executives played alongside senior U.S. government officials. This arrangement likely facilitated discussions on investment matters during the round. Although they didn’t play in President Trump’s group, the event provided an opportunity to strengthen ties with key figures in both U.S. politics and business.
Following the Mar-a-Lago meeting, the executives are returning to Korea. Lee and Choi arrived early in the morning. Lee is scheduled to attend a memorial concert for the late Chairman Lee Kun-hee at Samsung Electronics’ Human Resources Development Center in Yongin later that day, while Choi plans to focus on final preparations for the APEC summit and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Summit.
Kim, Vice Chairman of Hanwha Group, headed to Poland, likely to accompany Chief Secretary Kang Hoon-sik, who was appointed as a special envoy for strategic economic cooperation. Kang departed for Europe the previous day to promote arms sales in the region and deliver presidential letters to potential defense cooperation partners. Chung and Koo have reportedly not yet returned to Korea.