Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong likely to guide President Biden

U.S. President Joe Biden, who will visit Korea for the Korea-U.S. summit from May 20 to 22, is expected to visit Samsung Electronics' semiconductor plant in Pyeongtaek as soon as he visits Korea.

In the process, Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong is also likely to come out and guide President Biden.

U.S. President Joe Biden and Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong
U.S. President Joe Biden and Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong

According to industry sources on May 17, President Biden decided to visit Samsung Electronics' Pyeongtaek campus as soon as he arrived in Korea on the afternoon of May 20.

President Biden's decision to visit Samsung Electronics is due to the recent U.S. interest in the reorganization of the global supply chain centered on semiconductors.

In particular, Samsung Electronics will begin construction of its second foundry (semiconductor consignment production) factory worth 20 trillion won in Taylor, Texas, in the first half of this year.

It is analyzed that the U.S. government has no choice but to treat Samsung Electronics as the largest foreign investor.

It is reported that President Biden is also curious about the technological prowess of Samsung Electronics' foundry.

Although TSMC in Taiwan is the number one company in the foundry market, Samsung Electronics is the only company in the world that can compete with TSMC.

An industry official said, "The U.S. government will want to reduce its dependence on TSMC. This is because it is necessary to diversify semiconductor suppliers to gain an edge in bargaining power on prices and production."

The person who will guide President Biden on the production line is likely to be Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong.

Another industry official said, "They can have an intimate conversation about investment, so Vice Chairman Lee, who has the actual decision-making power, has no choice but to step forward."

President Biden is also highly likely to visit the USFK base Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province. However, the security issue for President Biden is expected to be a variable in the future.

This is because North Korea has carried out armed provocations until recently, and there is also a possibility for the North to conduct a seventh nuclear test.

There have been reports that President Biden will visit a Korean university after the summit to give a lecture, but there is no confirmed schedule so far.

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