As Korea Zinc deepens its efforts to address a management dispute with MBK Partners and rising geopolitical risks, the South Korean mining company has emerged as a prominent player in Washington’s lobbying arena.
South Korean firms have notably intensified their lobbying activities in the United States against the backdrop of changing U.S. trade policies, threats of tariffs, and changing regulatory environments under both the Trump and Biden administrations. This increased lobbying is necessitated by the imperative of defending their investments, obtaining preferential terms for further expansion, and managing uncertainty related to tariffs, export controls, and industrial policy.
According to the U.S. Lobbying Disclosure Act, the company’s $500,000 contract with Mercury Public Affairs (MPA) in the first quarter of 2025 was the ninth-largest single lobbying agreement during that time frame.
Since Trump’s return to power, MPA, a politically connected business with connections to important Trump administration personnel, including White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, has rapidly expanded. In only the first quarter, the company signed contracts for $5.2 million.
After first retaining MPA in February 2024, Korea Zinc has extended the contract five times, most recently tripling the $250,000 quarterly payment. According to MPA’s papers, Korea Zinc is receiving advice from the company on matters pertaining to “critical minerals, recycling, and clean energy subsidies.” David Vitter, a former Republican senator and congressman, and Cheri Bustos, a former Democratic congresswoman, are important lobbyists on the account.
According to congressional records, just eight other corporations inked larger lobbying deals during the quarter, including chipmaker Qualcomm ($680,000) and Nippon Steel, which is attempting to purchase U.S. Steel ($1.7 million).
In March, Impression Strategy, a new lobbying firm, was hired by Korea Zinc’s U.S. affiliate, Pedalpoint Holdings, under a $40,000 contract. Brad Stewart, a seasoned Capitol Hill assistant who was once Rep. Zach Nunn’s chief of staff and is well-known for his connections to Trump’s political network, is one of its lobbyists.
With vital minerals at the heart of the intensifying struggle, the company’s expanding Washington presence coincides with resurgent U.S.-China trade tensions under President Trump. In Washington’s attempts to secure supply lines for these resources, Korea is viewed as a crucial ally. The U.S.-led Minerals Security Partnership (MSP), an effort to challenge China’s hegemony in the world’s vital minerals market, was chaired for a year by South Korea in July 2024.
