An AmCham delegation of 11 companies, led by AmCham Chairman and CEO James Kim, poses for a photo with Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL). [AmCham Korea]
An AmCham delegation of 11 companies, led by AmCham Chairman and CEO James Kim, poses for a photo with Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL). [AmCham Korea]

The American Chamber of Commerce in Korea (AmCham) held about 30 high-level meetings with officials from the White House, the administration, Congress, and major business and policy organizations in Washington, the chamber announced Wednesday.

An AmCham delegation of 11 companies, led by Chairman and CEO James Kim, visited the United States from July 13 to 16 to conduct the "2026 Washington Door Knock" and discuss bilateral economic issues.

"Through this Washington visit, we confirmed that bipartisan support for the Korea-US alliance across the American political establishment remains strong," Kim said. "We also confirmed that Korea is further cementing its standing as a key partner for the United States in future strategic industries — including AI, semiconductors, shipbuilding and advanced manufacturing — as well as in economic security."

The visit also marked the debut of a new program, the "K-Door Knock." The program gives Korean companies direct access to senior US policymakers to discuss investment priorities, business expansion and the challenges of operating locally.

Participants in the K-Door Knock included Hyundai Motor Group, LG Group, Dunamu, Hangang Asset Management, HKI America Inc. and Soluem, while Bayer, Corning, Kim & Chang, Novelis and Pfizer took part in the Washington Door Knock.

The delegation discussed expanding cooperation in strategic industries central to both countries' industrial competitiveness and economic security, including AI, semiconductors, advanced manufacturing, shipbuilding, energy and digital infrastructure.

The delegation also said Korean companies' investment in the United States is contributing to the expansion of the US manufacturing base, the creation of quality jobs, stronger energy security and greater supply chain resilience among allies.

Participants said supporting long-term investment requires a predictable policy environment, transparent regulation and close cooperation between government and industry. They also identified the need for effective institutional frameworks to allow skilled workers to move freely across borders and participate in local projects.

The delegation also conveyed at the annual Washington Door Knock that a policy environment capable of fostering corporate innovation and investment and laying the groundwork for long-term growth is needed.

During the visit, the delegation met with Sens. Andy Kim (D-NJ), Rick Scott (R-FL), Bill Hagerty (R-TN) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA), as well as Reps. Young Kim (R-CA), Ami Bera (D-CA) and Tom Suozzi (D-NY).

The delegation also held wide-ranging discussions on key policy priorities for strengthening Korea-US economic cooperation, industrial competitiveness and economic security with major business groups and policy organizations — including the US Chamber of Commerce, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) — as well as policy experts and industry representatives.

The delegation met separately with officials from key US government agencies, including the White House National Security Council, the Office of the United States Trade Representative, the Department of State, the Department of Commerce, the Department of the Treasury, the SEC and the Federal Communications Commission.

"A common message from this Washington visit was not to add new commitments, but to faithfully execute the cooperation and investment plans already agreed upon and translate them into tangible results," Kim said. "It is important to reduce unnecessary non-tariff barriers and create a foundation where companies can compete in a predictable and fair environment."


joze@heraldcorp.com