Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates arrived at the Seoul Gimpo Business Aviation Center on Thursday, marking his first visit to South Korea in approximately a year. The visit is aimed at discussing energy cooperation with South Korean policymakers.

Gates, who co-founded Microsoft in 1975 and later established the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, has increasingly focused on clean energy and climate-related initiatives in recent years. He is also the founder of Breakthrough Energy, an organization dedicated to accelerating innovation in sustainable energy technologies. Breakthrough Energy has backed ventures spanning grid storage, sustainable fuels, and industrial decarbonization, areas that align with growing international efforts to commercialize low-carbon technologies.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Gates is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Han Seong-sook on Friday to further discuss areas of energy collaboration between the two sides. South Korea, which has set a goal of carbon neutrality by 2050 and remains heavily reliant on imported energy, has been working to expand its clean energy capabilities, including hydrogen, nuclear power, and renewable sources.

This visit comes a year after his previous trip to South Korea, underscoring ongoing engagement with the country's government on energy and technology matters.

Source: The Korea Times