South Korean businesses should be more proactive in dealing with the U.S. President Donald Trump’s economic and trade agenda, said James Kim, Chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea (AMCHAM) and head of GM Korea, the Korean unit of U.S. carmaker General Motors.

Kim said in a recent interview with Maeil Business Newspaper that Korean businesses should actively seek investment opportunities in the U.S. infrastructure projects that the Trump Administration is aggressive in promoting in the country.

He also said he will sell the benefits of the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement to the Trump Administration when he visits the U.S. in May as part of the AMCHAM’s annual Door Knock trip. Kim said he will present economic benefits including job creation that the bilateral trade deal has brought to the U.S. over the past five years since it went into force in 2012. Trump previously accused the trade deal with South Korea killed jobs and destroyed the auto industry in the U.S.

Every year, the AMCHAM organizes a trip to the U.S. called Door Knock to meet with senior officials and policy makers in the Administration and Congress to discuss issues affecting American firms operating in Korea. The delegation for this year’s visit will for the first time include some Korean companies doing business in the U.S. such as Hyundai Motor. He said he will strongly emphasize that the Korean companies are brining tremendous benefits to the country’s economy during the trip.

Kim vowed the AMCHAM will play a more active role in aiding Korean companies’ entry into the American market on top of its traditional mission to represent interests of American firms operating in Korea.

In line with that, he encouraged Korean firms to join the AMCHAM. Last month, the country’s largest automaker Hyundai Motor Co. decided to rejoin the American business interest group after pulling out nine years ago. Kim hinted many more Korean firms including large conglomerates have recently shown their interest in joining the AMCHAM.

During his visit to the U.S., Kim plans to meet with senior officials from the governments of some states in which Korean companies are doing businesses to discuss ways to enhance partnership and expand investment.

By Lee Seung-hoon and Kang Young-woon

[ⓒ Pulse by Maeil Business News Korea & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]