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U.S. President Donald Trump gestures toward the crowd at the Curtis D. Menard Memorial Sports Center in Wasilla, Alaska, on the 13th local time. / Reuters, Yonhap

Ahead of the November midterm elections, U.S. President Donald Trump visited the key battleground state of Alaska and doubled down on claims that South Korea had pledged to invest $50 billion (approx. 67 trillion won) in a local liquefied natural gas (LNG) project. The move is viewed as an attempt to pressure Seoul to participate by treating the investment as a fait accompli, even as the South Korean government has yet to finalize its position.

Speaking at a campaign rally in Wasilla, Alaska, on the 13th local time, President Trump brought up South Korea's investment plans while unveiling Taiwan's participation in the Alaska LNG project. "Taiwan will invest $4.4 billion in this project, on top of the $50 billion South Korea has already promised to Alaska," Trump said. The Taiwanese government also officially confirmed on the 14th that its state-run energy firm, CPC Corporation, plans to purchase Alaska LNG and participate in the development project.

On the 30th of last month, while announcing South Korea's $200 billion energy investment projects in the U.S., Trump claimed that Seoul had agreed to pour more than $50 billion into the Alaska LNG project. However, the South Korean government maintains that its participation has not yet been confirmed and that feasibility and contract terms require further review. Trump subsequently pressured Seoul for a swift agreement, remarking that he would demand a much higher cost if South Korea did not join the project.

U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who joined Trump at the rally, also reiterated South Korea's investment pledge. "South Korea has committed to investing $50.1 billion to build the pipeline in Alaska," Lutnick claimed before leading the crowd in chanting, "Build the line!"

Trump's intense focus on investments from South Korea and Taiwan while in Alaska appears to reflect the influence of the midterm elections, which are just three weeks away. With Republicans and Democrats locked in a battle for Senate control, Alaska is regarded as one of the critical battleground states. President Trump visited the state to stump for Republican Senator Dan Sullivan, who is seeking reelection.

                                                                                                            Nam Mi-kyung