White house cites South Korean trade deal, Alaska gas project among Trump's fulfilled pledges

WASHINGTON: The White House on Monday highlighted US President Donald Trump's trade agreement with South Korea and a Alaska natural gas project involving Seoul among his fulfilled campaign promises, as it touted his achievements on the eve of the US midterm elections, Yonhap News Agency reported.

In a press release highlighting policies promised and delivered during Trump's second term, the White House listed 127 campaign pledges it said the president had fulfilled.

Among them, the administration cited South Korea as one of the major US trading partners with which Trump had secured new or improved trade agreements by using tariffs as leverage.

It said the agreements covered countries accounting for more than half of global gross domestic product (GDP), including South Korea, Japan, China, the European Union and Britain.

The White House also highlighted what it described as a US$54 billion agreement with South Korea and Taiwan to develop a "long-stalled natural gas pipeline in Alaska."

The statement was the latest from the Trump administration claiming that South Korea is committed to the Alaska natural gas project.

Seoul has maintained that its participation remains subject to a commercial viability review.

On shipbuilding, the White House said Trump had signed an executive order aimed at restoring US maritime dominance and established a new office at the National Security Council to strengthen the country's shipbuilding industry.

It, however, did not specifically mention South Korean shipbuilders in connection with those efforts.

Last year, South Korea announced a plan to enhance its shipbuilding ties with the US. under an initiative dubbed "Make American Shipbuilding Great Again" as part of its tariff deal with the Washington. — BERNAMA