A bilateral U.S.–Republic of Korea working group that coordinates government efforts to resolve business‑travel and visa issues to support ROK investment into the United States. It is co‑chaired by the U.S. Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs (Jonathan Fritz) and the ROK Bilateral Economic Affairs Director General (Kim Sun‑young) and includes U.S. consular and regional State Department bureaus and the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, other U.S. agencies (Commerce, DHS), and officials from the ROK Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Korean diplomatic missions; it also engages with Korean investors and private stakeholders.
The Korean Investment and Travel Desk (KIT Desk) is a one‑stop desk located at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, jointly staffed by U.S. agencies (State, Commerce, DHS). It provides tailored guidance and a central communication channel for major Korean investors on visa and travel matters, supports expedited or improved visa adjudication for investment‑related personnel, and coordinates follow‑up between U.S. and Korean missions.
Typical visa options for personnel supporting investments include: B‑1/ESTA for short‑term business visits (meetings, negotiations, installation/service, specialized trainers with annotation); L‑1 intracompany transferee visas for employees moved to a U.S. affiliate; and E‑1/E‑2 treaty trader/investor visas for qualifying investors (South Korea is eligible). The linked fact sheet specifically explains allowable activities for B‑1 visitors (and ESTA admissions), including commercial transactions, contract negotiation, certain installation/service and ‘specialized trainer’ uses, and limits on remuneration.
Within the working group the Bilateral Economic Affairs Director General serves as Korea’s co‑chair: representing MOFA in meetings with U.S. counterparts, coordinating Korean government input (including with Korean missions and investors), reviewing and advancing working‑group deliverables (e.g., KIT Desk, visa‑process improvements), and helping set follow‑up work and regular convenings to support ROK investment into the U.S.
The U.S. emphasized long‑term workforce development tied to reindustrialization goals—notably promoting technical training to strengthen American workers’ skills in areas connected to Korean investment projects. The meeting highlighted this emphasis but did not announce new, detailed U.S. training programs or timelines at that session.
No new legally binding international commitments, laws, or regulatory changes were announced at the meeting. Participants reported administrative/policy actions already implemented (e.g., publication of a B‑1/ESTA factsheet, establishment of the KIT Desk, visa‑process improvements including B‑1 annotations and expedited adjudication, and strengthened inter‑mission cooperation) and agreed to continue cooperation into 2026, but the meeting did not produce new binding treaties or statutory/regulatory changes.