South Korea to invest $100 billion in U.S. energy projects

South Korea is preparing to announce an investment of over $100 billion in U.S. energy projects, specifically targeting eight nuclear power plants and a natural-gas project in Texas. These initiatives aim to provide the reliable electricity required to sustain the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence infrastructure and data centers.

The nuclear projects are expected to utilize a combination of technologies, potentially employing the AP1000 design from U.S.-based Westinghouse Electric alongside South Korean-developed APR1400 designs from Kepco. The natural-gas component is estimated to cost approximately $20 billion.

This move follows a broader October 2025 trade agreement in which South Korea pledged $350 billion in U.S. investments in exchange for the United States reducing tariff rates on most South Korean imports from 25 percent to 15 percent. The specific energy investment follows delays in previous commitments that led to tariff threats from the Trump administration. South Korea has also established a state-run corporation to manage and recommend these strategic investments to the U.S. government.