Pool Reports by Nikki Schwab, Daily Mail
Note: The pooler continued the numbering sequence from the previous day. Reports numbered 1 through 4 are available in Pool Reports of May 19, 2022
| Sent: | Reports: |
| May 20, 2022 17:47 KST |
Foreign Pool Report No. 5 - arrival in Korea Air Force One was wheels down at Osan Air Base in Seoul at 5:21 p.m. Flight was sometimes bumpy, but otherwise uneventful. No special guests to the press cabin. President Biden deplaned at 5:36 p.m. He's wearing a mask. Biden first greeted the Korean foreign minister and then walked down the line. He removed his mask at some point during the greeting process. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo stood alongside the president. He got in the beast at 5:42 p.m. List of greeters' names below. The beast is adorned with American and Korean flags. It's 75 degrees and breezy on the tarmac. POTUS' first stop is Samsung's Semiconductor Pyeongtaek Campus. We were rolling as of 5:45 p.m. From the White House: Greeting the President upon arrival at Osan Air Base: His Excellency Park Jin, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Korea |
| May 20, 2022 18:09 KST |
Foreign Pool Report No. 6 - Samsung arrival As the motorcade left Osan Air Base (which your pooler now realizes isn't technically in Seoul) about 200 people stood outside the gate waving American and Korean flags. They stood below a large sign that welcomed Biden. We also passed a junkyard, several rice paddies and colorful building including one that resembled a microchip. Spectators are watching the motorcade from the street and their apartment windows. The Samsung campus is filled with large grey modernist buildings painted with red, blue and yellow rectangles also decorated to resemble microchips. The motorcade pulled into the facility at 6:06 p.m. More TK |
| May 20, 2022 18:16 KST |
Foreign Pool Report No. 7 - Biden/Yoon greet President Yoon walked into Samsung's lobby at 6:11 p.m. He's wearing a mask. President Biden walked in seconds later, extending a hand to Yoon and greeting the leader. Biden's wearing a mask too. They stood for a picture in front of a sign that said Welcome to Pyeongtaek Campus. The two leaders were looking at a display when pool was pulled at 6:13 p.m. Their exchanges were inaudible to pool. More TK Greeting the President upon arrival at Samsung Electronics Pyeongtaek Campus: His Excellency Yoon Suk Yeol, President of the Republic of Korea |
| May 20, 2022 18:23 KST |
Foreign Pool Report No. 8 - Samsung tour info Passing along from the White House: Pool is currently holding at Samsung, waiting for the portion of the tour we're allowed to cover. Background on Samsung and the Pyeongtaek Campus: Samsung is one of the most critical South Korean companies for the United States, both in terms of economic breadth and its role as a producer of advanced chips. Samsung employs about 20,000 Americans in their research and development centers, manufacturing facilities, and regional offices located in Texas and California. In May 2021, during the bilateral meeting between President Biden and former Republic of Korea President Moon Jae-in, Samsung committed to an investment of $17 billion to construct a new semiconductor production plant in the United States. This is the largest investment the company has made in the United States and brings Samsung's total U.S. investment to $47 billion. The company announced later in the year that the new plant would be built in Taylor, Texas, and expects the facility to be operational in the second half of 2024. Sansung's investments in the United States will advance our critical national security priority to expand production capabilities for advanced chips. The President will make two stops in his tour of Samsung Electronics Pyeongtaek Campus. The first stop is closed press and the second is pooled. Joining the President on his tour: P1 Factory The President will visit P1 Factory Semiconductor Operations, where he will see an aerial overview of the expansive Pyeongtaek Campus. After this overview, the President will receive a briefing of factory operations. P3 Factory The President will visit the factory floor of P3 Factory Semiconductor Operations to receive a briefing from Samsung employees on two pieces of American-made equipment that are essential to the manufacturing operation. The first machine, the STRATA-Q, is built by American manufacturer LAM and helps form transistors during the semiconductor manufacturing process. The second machine, the ALERIS8350, is built by American manufacturer KLA and helps measure the thickness of the multi-layer film used in semiconductor manufacturing. The tour guide at the P3 Factory is Byung Hoon "Ben" Suh, Samsung Executive Vice President for Investor Relations. |
| May 20, 2022 19:12 KST |
Foreign Pool Report No. 9 - Tour stop Pool was moved to a giant manufacturing floor of the Samsung facility. There are clusters of equipment, and white pillars with blue lettering to identify sections of the floor. The tour guide's full name as provided by the White House is - Byung Hoon "Ben" Suh Presidents Biden and Yoon walked in at 6:56 p.m. Biden shook hands with a line of people in striped lab coats. Secretary Raimondo walked in just before. Biden is being guided through a very technical process on how to make semiconductor wafers by a man wearing full blue PPE. He then walked to another area of the floor while marveling at the physical floor, which is vented, so you can see to several floors below. He is also being shown how parts get around the facility using a railway system on the ceiling. A man named Peter whose from the American supplier KLA to Samsung explained what his company contributes. "Don't forget to vote Peter. You may live here, but don't forget to vote," Biden said as he concluded. Earlier Biden told Peter he was having trouble hearing him. Pool was pulled at 7:08 p.m. To prep for the tour, pool put on blue plastic bootie bags over our shoes and white striped lab coats labeled with "VIP." We walked through an air tunnel with our gear to decontaminate. |
| May 20, 2022 19:40 KST |
Foreign Pool Report No. 10 - speech details/2 minute warning We have a two minute warning on remarks. From the White House: In attendance for the remarks at P2 Office Building, Samsung Electronics Pyeongtaek Campus are approximately 200 guests from Samsung, the Republic of Korea government, Korean and American business leaders, and students from the local university. Speaking program: A crowd is gathered in a large atrium decorated with two huge sets of American and ROK flags and large monitors that look like blue microchips. About 30 people are seated onstage. Red, white and blue bunting is also decorating the room. Ceremonial music is playing through the speakers. White House is streaming the remarks and it’s open press, so I won’t be providing quotes, just color. Link here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOvJ9nwovFE&feature=emb_title |
| May 20, 2022 20:23 KST |
Foreign Pool Report No. 11 - remarks conclude/back to Osan Biden started his remarks at 7:47 p.m. Yoon spoke before him and spoke in Korean. He was greeted with cheers and applause. Biden wrapped at 7:56 p.m. Motorcade departed Samsung at 8:05 p.m. We arrived back at Osan at 8:19 p.m. We're taking an aerial motorcade to the Yongsan Landing Zone and then motorcading to the RON. More TK |
| May 20, 2022 21:29 KST |
Foreign Pool Report No. 12 - Seoul/RON arrival/lid Pool was loaded onto an Osprey and didn't have a clear view of Marine One lifting off. We lifted at 8:38 p.m. We were treated to spectacular views of Seoul flying in. Marine One landed before the pool. We landed in what essentially looked like a field in the middle of an urban area. We didn't set eyes on POTUS. Motorcade departed the airfield 9:08 p.m. It pulled into the RON at TK. 9:22 p.m. There are crushes of people gathered at different entrances, unclear if any are protesters but I see a lot of selfie sticks. And at least one large welcome sign. Several people are waving American flags. We have a travel/photo lid at 9:25 p.m. Flying with the President on Marine One to Seoul: Secretary Gina Raimondo, Department of Commerce |
Joseph R. Biden, Jr., Pool Reports of May 20, 2022 Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/356036