Washington: The chairman of South Korean retail conglomerate Shinsegae Group, Chung Yong-jin, attended a Christmas dinner hosted by U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, meeting with White House officials and business leaders, the group announced on Sunday.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the year-end event took place on Friday evening at Vance's residence in Washington. It gathered significant figures including U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller.

The event also featured notable business leaders such as former Google CEO Eric Schmidt and Palantir Technologies Chief Technology Officer Shyam Sankar. Shinsegae reported Chung's participation in discussions with these influential figures.

Prior to the dinner, Chung visited the White House, engaging with senior officials like Michael Kratsios, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. During these meetings, discussions focused on cooperation regarding U.S. artificial intelligence export programs, and Chung expressed his interest in utilizing advanced technologies to modernize distribution systems.

Members of the Rockbridge Network, an organization founded by Vance, also attended the dinner. Chung holds the position of Asia chairman and is on the board of Rockbridge Network Korea, a think tank established in October, according to Shinsegae.