Japanese and South Korean joint investment in the United States, with US stocks becoming the biggest winners? Japan first invests 550 billion US dollars, and South Korea immediately pitches in 350 billion US dollars.

U.S. President Donald Trump and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung finalized an important trade agreement on Wednesday, putting an end to negotiations since reaching a U.S.-South Korea trade framework agreement in July. Trump's Asian tour this week has brought huge investments to the United States, with the Japanese government announcing on Tuesday a potential investment list of up to $550 billion in U.S. investment instruments and then securing a significant agreement with South Korea on Wednesday for up to $350 billion in investments. South Korean policy maker Kim Yong-fan stated on Wednesday that under the bilateral trade agreement, South Korea will invest $150 billion in shipbuilding and another $200 billion in commitments to investment in the United States, similar to agreements reached with the United States and Japan. This indicates that South Korea will not only use equity but also loans and loan guarantees to fund the investment plan, a key concession. Trump described his meeting with the South Korean president as "very excellent," stating that they "basically finalized a trade agreement" during a dinner hosted by Lee Jae-myung on Wednesday night. "I think we've come to conclusions on many very important matters," Trump said in an interview. After the initial news about the agreement was released, the South Korean won rose by 0.9% against the dollar. The South Korean finance minister stated last week that the recent weakening of the won reflected market concerns about the agreement not being finalized. Before Trump's visit to South Korea, both South Korea and the United States had downplayed the possibility of reaching the agreement, making the new U.S.-South Korea trade agreement positive news for both the U.S. and South Korean markets. Under the trade agreement, due to South Korea's commitment to invest $350 billion in the United States, the U.S. will reduce tariffs on South Korean goods to a maximum of 15%, significantly lower than the previous 25% equivalent tariff. During the negotiations, the tariff on South Korean car imports to the U.S. had been maintained at 25%. This put South Korean car manufacturers at a disadvantage in exporting to the U.S. market, as the Japanese government had previously secured a deal in September with only a 15% tariff. Kim Yong-fan stated that these tariffs will now be significantly reduced to 15%. Just days before the agreement was reached, Lee Jae-myung had mentioned that the key details of the $350 billion investment plan remained a sticking point, while Trump claimed that the agreement was "very close" to being completed. Even as the negotiations approached the finish line, there were still differences in views on progress. Kim Yong-fan stated that the agreement will run until January 2029, with actual investment disbursements taking place over the long term. South Korea will also...