Trump wants South Korea in on Alaska LNG. Here’s why Seoul is cautious

Mike Dunleavy, governor of Alaska, from left, Howard Lutnick, US commerce secretary, US President Donald Trump, Senator Dan Sullivan, a Republican from Alaska, and Doug Burgum, US secretary of the interior, during an announcement in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026. Trump unveiled plans for South Korea to invest $200 billion in US energy projects, including eight nuclear power plants, a Texas power generation facility and an Alaska natural gas export venture. Photographer: Yuri Gripas/Abaca/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesBloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesSouth Korea is taking a cautious approach to the long-planned Alaska liquefied natural gas project, despite U.S. President Donald Trump touting it as part of Seoul's $200 billion investment package in the U.S.Trump said late Wednesday that the two countries had agreed to work on the $50 billion project, but South Korean President Lee Jae Myung pushed back, saying South Korea's participation would hinge on its financial viability and legal compliance.Alaska LNG situationAt the heart of the debate is the scale and cost of getting Alaska's vast natural gas resources to overseas buyers...