Jung Yong-jin, the chairman of Shinsegae Group, visited Mar-a-Lago, the residence of Donald Trump in Palm Beach, Florida, following an invitation from Donald Trump Jr. This visit, spanning January 17-19, marks a potential meeting with Donald Trump, the president-elect, alongside the confirmed meeting with Trump Jr. The meeting draws attention as it could signify the first encounter between Trump and a South Korean business leader since his election victory.
The relationship between Jung and Trump Jr. traces back to an introduction facilitated by a local contact in the U.S. three to four years ago, originally intended to involve Trump himself. The connection has since strengthened, reportedly bonded by shared religious beliefs as Protestant Christians.
Earlier this year, Trump Jr. visited South Korea three times for both official and unofficial meetings with Jung. In January, Jung posted a photo of himself with Trump Jr. on his Instagram account. Given the strong rapport between Jung and Trump Jr., there is speculation that Jung might play a bridging role between Trump and the South Korean business community.