Biden kicks off Asia trip with Samsung tour in South Korea to solidify trade ties

President Biden pledged Friday to bring the U.S.-South Korea relationship to “greater heights” as he kicked off an East Asia swing at a semiconductor manufacturer owned by Samsung, a company investing billions in the U.S.

Mr. Biden said Samsung’s construction of a new plant in Texas is emblematic of a technology alliance that will help both countries remain competitive in an ever-changing world. He also said it will help their nations become less reliant on countries that “don’t share our values.”

“These little chips, only a few nanometers thick, are the key to propelling us into humanity’s technological development,” Mr. Biden said after...