Key points: Trump stated that South Korea will invest up to $200 billion cumulatively across various U.S. energy infrastructure projects.

U.S. President Donald Trump praised the plan, calling it "one of the largest energy infrastructure investments in American history."

South Korean media reports indicated that South Korea's participation in the Alaska LNG project has not yet been finalized, and the South Korean government is evaluating the project's commercial viability as well as domestic legal compliance requirements.

On September 30, 2026, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S. President Trump delivered remarks on the Alaska energy infrastructure project. Trump said South Korea's $200 billion investment in the United States would "change the face of America for generations to come," but not all of that investment is set in stone.

A joint announcement previously released by the U.S. Department of Commerce showed that the investment plan covers nuclear power plants, a natural gas power plant in Texas, and the long-planned Alaska LNG project (with the possibility of participation).

On Wednesday evening U.S. time, Trump posted on Truth Social that the United States and South Korea had agreed to advance the Alaska LNG project, valued at $50 billion.

In response, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung emphasized that participation in some projects still requires consideration of commercial factors.

On Thursday South Korean time, Lee Jae-myung posted on X that whether South Korea participates in the Alaska LNG project depends on the project's financial feasibility and whether it complies with legal requirements. He added that nuclear power plant-related investments also need to be evaluated for commercial viability on a plant-by-plant basis.

In his Wednesday evening post, Trump praised South Korea's investment, saying the two countries had agreed to advance the Alaska LNG project valued at $50 billion. However, the joint U.S.-South Korea statement released earlier on Wednesday only mentioned advancing the project on the premise of commercial rationality and did not disclose the specific investment amount for the project.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the Alaska LNG project plans to transport natural gas approximately 1,300 kilometers from the North Slope gas fields in Alaska to the southern part of the state, where it would be liquefied on-site and exported to markets including Asia. The project requires enormous upfront investment, and its economic viability has long been questioned.

South Korean Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Kim Jung-kwan evaluated the project as "high-risk" last year, saying it would be difficult for South Korea to participate unless the project can generate sufficient cash flow.

Within the overall investment plan, $22.3 billion will be directed toward a 6,472-megawatt natural gas power plant in Encinal, Texas, specifically to power a co-located data center. The project is led by developer Related Real Estate and U.S. power company NextEra Energy; the first phase is expected to begin commercial operations in 2029, with the entire project fully operational in phases by 2032.

Trump said South Korea's investment commitment would materialize into "large-scale construction projects" creating "tens of thousands of American jobs." "These are massive energy projects that will boost America's power capacity," Trump said. "Brand-new engineering and construction, manufacturing on American soil, bringing quality jobs to American workers."

The two countries stated they will promote greater participation by South Korean companies in the Texas project, covering equipment supply, engineering and construction, and long-term operations and maintenance. The U.S. side also plans to create opportunities for South Korean companies to supply equipment, including gas turbines, to other similar projects in the United States.

Another $120 billion is planned for the construction of eight large nuclear reactors in the United States, with $100 billion for construction costs and $20 billion as an emergency reserve fund. The signatories to this nuclear energy cooperation agreement include the U.S. and South Korean governments, Westinghouse Electric, Korea Electric Power Corporation, and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power. The agreement also proposes that South Korean companies may consider acquiring a significant minority stake in Westinghouse Electric, with related terms subject to commercial negotiations.