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U.S. White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia holds a briefing in the White House briefing room in Washington, D.C., on the 13th (local time). / AP, Yonhap

[Article summary]

1. The new White House press secretary touted South Korea's energy investment package of up to $200 billion as an achievement, stating that $54 billion is linked to the Alaska LNG project.

2. The South Korean government maintains that only the Texas gas power plant has been finalized, while the Alaska LNG and nuclear power projects require further discussions.

3. In a briefing lasting about 14 minutes, Press Secretary Zacharia devoted roughly the first eight minutes to promoting President Trump's achievements and took questions from only three conservative outlets.

4. The WP reported on an appointment that bypassed the chief of staff, controversies surrounding her legal bar credentials, and mixed assessments within the White House.

In her first official briefing on the 13th (local time), new U.S. White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia stated that $54 billion (approx. 72.522 trillion won) for the Alaska liquefied natural gas (LNG) project is tied to the South Korean energy investment package of up to $200 billion (approx. 268.6 trillion won) announced by President Donald Trump.

The South Korean government maintains that among the three projects, only the Texas gas power plant has been confirmed, while neither the decision to invest nor the scale of investment in Alaska LNG has been determined.

Press Secretary Zacharia wrapped up the briefing after 14 minutes. Major U.S. media outlets focused heavily on her legal bar credentials, the appointment process, and mixed assessments within the White House.

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U.S. White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia holds a briefing in the White House briefing room in Washington, D.C., on the 13th (local time). / AP, Yonhap

New White House press secretary touts $200 billion South Korean energy investment in first briefing, linking $54 billion to Alaska LNG

At the White House briefing that day, Press Secretary Zacharia stated that President Trump "unveiled a South Korean energy investment package in the U.S. worth up to $200 billion," calling it an "amazing deal." She went on to explain, "This includes up to $120 billion (approx. 161.16 trillion won) to build eight large-scale nuclear power plants."

Emphasizing that nuclear power construction was a project needed by the U.S. and a campaign pledge made by President Trump, she noted, "President Trump is fulfilling this promise, just as he keeps all his promises." Press Secretary Zacharia specifically stated, "Fifty-four billion dollars is tied to the Alaska LNG pipeline and terminal to supply energy to the Pacific Rim and sell fuel to our allies."

She also noted that $22.3 billion (approx. 29.9489 trillion won) will go toward constructing a 6-gigawatt (GW) natural gas power plant in Texas, describing these ventures as part of the massive foreign investment achievements secured by President Trump.

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U.S. President Donald Trump walks alongside White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia toward reporters on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., on the 13th (local time), before boarding the presidential helicopter, Marine One. / AP, Yonhap

South Korea maintains only Texas power plant finalized

However, the South Korean government's position differs from the White House's explanation. South Korea maintains that among the three projects, only the Texas gas power plant has been finalized, while the nuclear power and Alaska LNG projects require further consultation to assess commercial viability. In other words, the $120 billion for nuclear power and $54 billion for Alaska LNG cited by the White House are not confirmed South Korean investment commitments.

In particular, the review of commercial feasibility for the Alaska LNG development project has only just begun. The South Korean government has drawn a firm line, stating that neither the decision to invest nor the scale of any investment has been determined. Press Secretary Zacharia presented the projects as investment achievements secured by President Trump, without mentioning this position of the South Korean government.

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U.S. President Donald Trump answers questions from reporters at the White House in Washington, D.C., on the 13th (local time) before departing for Alaska. President Trump is visiting Alaska to campaign in support of Republican Senator Dan Sullivan, who is seeking reelection in the November midterm elections. / EPA, Yonhap

First briefing wraps up in 14 minutes

Press Secretary Zacharia's first official briefing ended after about 14 minutes. She devoted roughly the first eight minutes to promoting President Trump's campaign rallies and his economic and energy policy achievements.

Press Secretary Zacharia claimed that attendance at President Trump's rallies had reached all-time record levels. However, The Washington Post (WP) pointed out that recent Trump rallies had a considerable number of empty seats.

During the Q&A session, only three reporters personally called on by Press Secretary Zacharia were able to ask questions. The outlets granted questions—Breitbart News, Fox News, and the Daily Mail—are all conservative-leaning media organizations, the WP reported.

In response to a question from a Breitbart reporter, Press Secretary Zacharia replied that she would maintain and, to the extent possible, expand the policy introduced by her predecessor, Karoline Leavitt, permitting new media outlets to participate in press briefings.

Asked by Fox News reporter Peter Doocy whether she would continue playing a role in aiding Republicans in the midterm elections, she emphasized the continuity between her previous commentary as a conservative pundit and her duties as White House press secretary. "What I've done on the outside is amplify and build upon President Trump's agenda," she said, adding, "Now, in an official capacity, I will lean into that role even further." She then stressed that President Trump himself is "his own best spokesperson."

When Doocy asked whether the U.S. had halted intelligence sharing with Ukraine, she dodged a direct answer, stating she would "circle back after checking." The WP noted that this was an unusual non-answer on a matter that had dominated major morning news cycles.

Immediately after answering a question on how she plans to balance her duties with raising four children, Press Secretary Zacharia abruptly declared the briefing over. She stated that President Trump was heading toward the presidential helicopter, Marine One, for his trip to Alaska, telling reporters they could ask the president all their questions outside.

The Associated Press (AP) reported that she abruptly wrapped up the briefing after taking only a handful of questions. However, the AP and WP noted that President Trump did not depart the White House until more than an hour after the briefing had ended.

During the briefing, a request for the resignation of Kimberly Guilfoyle, U.S. Ambassador to Greece, was also announced. Press Secretary Zacharia stated, "We have asked Ambassador Guilfoyle to resign," adding, "She has been a wonderful asset to the team, and we wish her well."

Ambassador Guilfoyle is facing allegations that she asked a Republican donor for $100,000 (approx. 134.3 million won) to cover her American Express card balance. The allegation was first reported by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ).

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Natalie Harp, aide to U.S. President Donald Trump (left), White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles (center), and new White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia board the presidential aircraft Air Force One alongside President Trump at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on the 13th (local time). President Trump is headed to Wasilla, Alaska, to hold a campaign rally ahead of the midterm elections. / AFP, Yonhap

Press Secretary Zacharia's legal qualifications have also sparked controversy. When announcing her appointment on the 9th, President Trump introduced Zacharia as an "attorney."

However, when asked which jurisdiction's bar exam she had passed, Zacharia replied that it was in China, rather than a U.S. state or Washington, D.C., the WP reported. The WP noted that China does not permit foreign nationals to argue cases in court.

The White House explained that "Katie moved to China after graduation because of her husband's job at a U.S. private equity firm, where she worked on international transactional law." However, it did not specify whether Zacharia had ever practiced as an attorney in the United States.

Zacharia graduated from Pepperdine University School of Law in 2011. Independent journalist Judd Legum was the first to point out that she is not licensed as an attorney in California, the WP noted.   

Earlier on the 12th, CNN reported that Zacharia had previously posted or shared baseless conspiracy theories on social media linking Democratic figures and Hollywood celebrities to pedophilia.

WP reports appointment bypassed chief of staff amid lack of preparation

Internal White House assessments were also mixed regarding Zacharia's selection process and her debut briefing. President Trump decided on Zacharia's appointment without even consulting White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, the WP reported, citing four people familiar with internal discussions. Senior White House aides, including Chief of Staff Wiles, were informed of the decision only the night before the announcement on the 9th.   

As a result, the WP explained, Zacharia had little time to prepare for the briefing. Characterizing her initial briefing as a "short, rocky start," the paper noted that she stumbled over her words multiple times while reading through a thick briefing binder.

While answering a question about balancing family and work, Zacharia also mistakenly referred to her "husband" as the "president" before correcting herself. Noting that she has children aged 12, 10, 8, and 6, she stated that "no matter how demanding the job is, the children will always be the top priority."   She described President Trump as the "most pro-family president in history."

A former conservative broadcast commentator, Zacharia had previously worked at President Trump's social media company and the Department of Homeland Security. She was appointed on the 9th to succeed former press secretary Leavitt, who resigned in August, and began her duties on the 12th.   

The WP also noted that Zacharia is using a smaller office rather than the spacious West Wing office previously occupied by Leavitt. Leavitt's former office is currently being used by White House Communications Director Steven Cheung.

Citing multiple officials, the WP reported that some White House aides have questioned Zacharia's level of readiness and the viability of her tenure going forward.

On the other hand, President Trump praised her performance to reporters while heading toward Marine One after the briefing, saying, "I thought she was great. She did very well."Communications Director Cheung also came to Zacharia's defense. In a statement, he asserted that "Katie is a fantastic and wonderful addition to the team," adding that she is "uniquely qualified and whip-smart."

He emphasized that Zacharia would contribute to communicating the achievements of President Trump and the administration to the American public, and that she would excel in her role as White House press secretary.

                                                                                                               Ha Man-ju