Vance Backs Alaska Gas Pipeline to Asia, Says South Korea Details Still Need Work

US Vice President JD Vance has backed plans for a major liquefied natural gas (LNG) pipeline in Alaska, saying strong demand for American natural gas in Japan and other Asian economies would help drive the project forward, even as key details with South Korea remain unresolved.

Speaking to reporters before boarding Air Force Two for Alaska, Vance said the Trump administration “really” wants the project to happen and pointed to demand from East Asian economies facing higher natural gas prices.

“The pipeline is something that we really want to see happen and a lot of our Asian friends want to see happen as well,” Vance said. He added that Japan and other East Asian economies would welcome increased supplies of US natural gas.

Vance acknowledged that negotiations with South Korea were not complete but expressed confidence that the project would ultimately move ahead.

“So I think it’s something that’s going to happen. Obviously, you still got to work out some of the details,” he said.

South Korean officials have said the proposed investment has not been finalised and that its commercial viability and other factors must be reviewed before a final investment decision.

The Alaska LNG project envisages transporting natural gas from the North Slope through a pipeline to an export terminal in southern Alaska for shipment to Asian markets. The proposed development is expected to serve markets including Japan, South Korea and other East Asian economies.

Vance made the comments during a broader interaction with reporters that also covered an attempted FlyDubai hijacking, Iran and security measures involving US military assets in Britain.

Asked whether Iran was involved in the FlyDubai incident, Vance said he would defer to CIA Director John Ratcliffe and other intelligence officials, adding that he had not seen conclusive evidence.

On a separate security threat in Britain that prompted the movement of US bombers from a base, Vance said the administration was taking precautions and declined to provide further details.

Vance was travelling to Alaska to campaign for Republican Senator Dan Sullivan. He also discussed the state’s political landscape and its ranked-choice voting system.