The President, currently on a state visit to the U.S., said on October 12 that by 2015 trade between Korea and the U.S. will increase by 50% and investments will rapidly expand.

The President had a breakfast meeting with businessmen from Korea and the U.S. at Willard InterContinental in Washington, D.C. on October 12. He prospected that trade and investments between the two countries will quickly increase once the Korea-U.S. FTA goes into effect.

"Korea can be a gateway for other countries to advance into the Asian market, which also gives the U.S. to opportunities to invest in Korea," The President said. "If the two countries cooperate, KORUS can produce products or services that will allow us to actively advance into the Asian market."

The President also said, "One of the fields with the most promising future that the two countries can work on is action on climate change...I hope the two countries develop new models in such industries as bio-energy, health, and robotics as well as resources and green growth."

He also said that the Korea-U.S. FTA would be a gateway that connects the U.S. and Asian countries, yet businesses can only make the gateway worthwhile by increasing trade.

Several important figures including Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Kim Sung-hwan, Minister of Strategy and Finance Park Jae-wan, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the United States Han Deok-su, and Chairman of Korea International Trade Association Sa Gong-il also attended the meeting.