Group 1 - The trade negotiations between South Korea and the United States regarding a $350 billion investment plan are currently stalled due to disagreements on specific terms [1][2] - South Korean President Lee Jae-myung warned that accepting U.S. demands without safeguards could lead to a financial crisis similar to that of 1997 [1][2] - The U.S. is insisting that South Korea adopt investment and profit-sharing structures similar to those agreed upon with Japan, which committed to a $550 billion investment [2] Group 2 - South Korea is proposing a foreign exchange swap mechanism to mitigate the impact of the investment on the Korean won, but the U.S. appears to be resistant to this idea [1][2] - The trade agreement includes provisions for South Korea to invest $350 billion in the U.S. and purchase $100 billion worth of liquefied natural gas and other energy products [2] - President Lee emphasized the differences between South Korea and Japan, particularly regarding foreign exchange reserves and existing currency swap agreements with the U.S. [2]

Group 1 - The core issue in the US-Korea trade agreement negotiations is the disagreement over investment details, which has led to a stalemate [1][3] - South Korea has committed to invest $350 billion in exchange for reduced tariffs from the US, but the agreement has not been formally signed due to differences in handling the investment [2][3] - South Korea proposed establishing a currency swap mechanism to mitigate the impact of the investment on the Korean won's exchange rate, but the US has not agreed to this proposal [3][4] Group 2 - The South Korean President warned that accepting US investment demands without protective measures could lead to a crisis similar to the 1997 financial crisis [1][4] - The US Commerce Secretary suggested that South Korea should emulate Japan's recent trade agreement with the US, which involved a 15% tariff payment and a $550 billion investment from Japan [4] - The President emphasized that South Korea's situation differs from Japan's due to its lower foreign exchange reserves and the absence of a currency swap agreement with the US [4] Group 3 - Achieving a detailed agreement that ensures commercial viability is the main challenge in the negotiations, with current proposals failing to bridge the gap [5] - The recent immigration enforcement actions against Korean workers in the US have caused public outrage in South Korea, potentially affecting investment sentiment [6][8] - Despite the immigration incident, the President believes it will not damage the US-Korea alliance and considers it an overzealous enforcement action rather than a deliberate act by the US government [6][7]