Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan is visiting the United States to conclude negotiations on Korean investment. Before departing he said he was travelling "to bring the talks to a close".

American outlets reported that a plan for Korea to invest about 100 billion dollars in nuclear generation in the United States and gas-fired power in Texas had entered final coordination. The government did not confirm the figure or the projects.

The talks have proceeded with trade questions and energy investment handled together. The scale of investment, the manner of disbursement and the extent of Korean corporate participation are cited as the central issues.

The trip coincides with the anniversary of 11 September, complicating the official schedule. Meetings with the US Commerce Department are expected to be fixed after arrival.

Energy investment carries long payback periods and complex permitting, so considerable time passes between an announcement and actual disbursement. Financing structures and the allocation of risk must be settled alongside.

The government has treated investment and trade as a single package rather than separate tracks. The outcome is likely to set the terms for later discussion of tariffs and export categories.