From September 20 – 26, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves led 15 American companies on a Cybersecurity Trade Mission to the Republic of Korea and Japan following President Biden’s Trilateral Summit with President Yoon of Korea and Prime Minister Kishida of Japan.

During his visit to the Seoul, Deputy Secretary Graves held meetings with several Korean government officials and discussed cybersecurity best practices and private sector solutions, deeper collaboration on critical and emerging technologies, efforts to strengthen export controls enforcement, and the future  completion of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF).

The Deputy Secretary also held several meetings with U.S. and South Korean private sector representatives, including a meeting with the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea, a roundtable discussion with Korean clean tech investors in the United States, and a meeting with the Korean Semiconductor Industry Association. In these engagements, the Deputy Secretary heard from American and Korean businesses on issues affecting their respective sectors and ways the Commerce Department can help increase commercial ties through enhanced bilateral and regional cooperation.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves concluded his mission to East Asia in Japan, where he held meetings with Japanese government officials and discussed ways to deepen two-way commerce, trade, and investment ties. In these engagements, he emphasized the enduring importance of the United States’ and Japan’s bilateral relationship for ensuring economic and national security for our nations and a prosperous Indo-Pacific region.

To conclude his trip, Deputy Secretary Graves gave a policy speech at Temple University Japan detailing the Department’s focus on critical and emerging technologies including semiconductors, clean technologies, biotechnologies, and cybersecurity.

“Who leads on critical and emerging technologies – computing technologies, such as chips, cyber, and AI; climate and clean technologies; and biotechnologies – will profoundly shape the international economic order for generations to come,” said Deputy Secretary Graves. “When the U.S. builds tech capabilities, it enables us to be better innovation partners with allies, with leading technology powers such as Japan and Korea.”