(NewsNation) — Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp was in South Korea Friday to see some of the top international threats facing the United States.
The Republican governor recently visited the Korean Demilitarized Zone as part of a 10-day trip during which he’s expected to highlight major tech investments heading to the Peach State.
Kemp joined “Morning in America” to discuss the tensions between South Korea and North Korea that may threaten the U.S.
U.S. service members in the area are “on high alert as always” and simultaneously “keeping things calm,” he said.
“I’m thankful for all the sacrifices all the American soldiers and Korean soldiers made to really lay the situation out as it is today,” Kemp said. “We were on the frontlines of democracy versus tyranny.”
The trip, he said, underscores the importance of the U.S. continuing to stand with its allies “not only for national security issues but also for economic issues, which is the big reason that we’re here this week.”
Tension has been growing in the region. Manure and other garbage have been flown into South Korea in balloons while the south is playing music over to the border to attract defectors.
“I haven’t seen too much concern from the folks in South Korea,” Kemp said. “It’s business as usual here. I think it’s more just propaganda that you’ve seen from Kim Jung Un in a lot of things that he’s doing, whether it’s missile tests and certainly the nuclear program that is concerning for many Americans and certainly for South Koreans.”
As for the business relationship between Georgia and South Korea, “It’s all systems go,” Kemp said.
South Korea’s investments in Georgia include a $7 billion Hyundai factory in Savannah, an LG electric battery plant and new semiconductor production.
“We’ve seen tremendous success working with a lot of these Korean companies in 2023 alone,” Kemp said. “We’ve announced over $10 billion in investment and over 12,000 jobs coming to the great state of Georgia.”