Korea Policy Forum: Trade and Immigration Policy in US-ROK Relations in 2025

The longstanding relationship between the United States and South Korea faces new complexities as President Donald Trump’s second administration pursues a policy agenda centered on immigration control, trade protectionism, visa categories, and investment realignment. These policies have revived debates over economic nationalism, supply-chain security, and the delicate balance between domestic priorities and alliance commitments. This panel will examine how the intersections of immigration, tariff policy, and foreign investment are reshaping the political and economic dynamics of the U.S.–Korea relationship. By analyzing the domestic underpinnings and global repercussions of Trump’s economic and immigration strategies, the discussion explored their impact on bilateral trade, labor mobility, and industrial cooperation with South Korea.

The event was co-hosted by the George Washington University Institute for Korean Studies (GWIKS), the Sejong Society of Washington, D.C., and the Korean American Institute. It brought together leading experts to assess how the Trump administration’s policies are reshaping the contours of U.S.–ROK cooperation in an era of renewed economic nationalism and strategic competition.

Speakers:
Tami Overby (Partner, DGA Group Government Relations)
Erin Chung (Charles D. Miller Professor of East Asian Politics, Department of Political Science, Johns Hopkins University)
Woojin Shin (Partner and Co-Chair of Economic Development Practice & Industry Group, Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP)
Roundtable + Q&A

Moderator:
Yonho Kim (Associate Director, GW Institute for Korean Studies)