Why It Matters
Squire Patton Boggs filed a registration amendment on Oct. 27 for Korea Corporate Investment Holdings Co. Ltd./Young Poong Corp., updating the original Jan. 21 registration across Economics/Economic Development, Manufacturing, and Trade (Domestic & Foreign). The amendment's specific issues lobbied field is blank, while all three prior quarterly reports described the issue as foreign investment in a Tennessee critical minerals smelter.
The four lobbyists on the amendment are Mackie Tygart, public policy specialist; Bradford Ellison, associate; Robert Kapla, partner; and Nicole Rodgers, senior adviser.
By the Numbers
Korea Corporate Investment Holdings Co. Ltd./Young Poong Corp. reported $370,000 in the first quarter of 2026, $270,000 in the second quarter, and $500,000 in the third quarter through Squire Patton Boggs. The new amendment, however, carries a $0 filing amount.
Tygart's covered-position disclosure lists prior service in Sen. Tommy Tuberville's (R-AL) personal office, while Ellison previously served as a political and economic affairs intern in the Department of State in 2015.
Broader Context
Korea Corporate Investment Holdings Co. Ltd./Young Poong Corp. has been identified by The Korea Herald Feb. 4 as an entity set up by Young Poong and MBK Partners to pursue foreign investment in a Tennessee critical minerals smelter. Reuters reported March 12 that Korea Zinc expected to begin construction on its Tennessee smelter in 2027 and start operations in 2030, and that the company was in talks with U.S. technology firms about recovering rare earths from data-center waste.
Between The Lines
At a July 22 hearing of the House East Asia and Pacific Subcommittee, Del. Jim Moylan (R-GU-0) asked whether Congress can deepen co-production with Korean and Japanese shipbuilders without compromising American workforce concerns, raising the Jones Act and targeted exemptions.
Competitive Landscape
Bekaert Corp. signed a new-client registration as a self-filer on Oct. 23, listing manufacturing and economics/economic development among its nine issue codes. Meanwhile, Pivotal Manufacturing Partners LLC named K&L Gates LLP as its registrant in a new-client filing signed Oct. 21, listing Energy/Nuclear and Manufacturing among its issue codes. Most recently, Shishuo AI International Ltd. hired McEntee, John David II on Oct. 27 to lobby on trade.
The Bottom Line
About nine months after its January 21, 2026 registration, Squire Patton Boggs has filed an amendment for Korea Corporate Investment Holdings Co. Ltd./Young Poong Corp. that keeps the same three issue codes but leaves the specific issues field blank. The fourth-quarter report, due Jan. 20, 2027, will be the next filing for lobbyists to keep an eye on.
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