Oh Sang-rok, Hyperithm CEO, Diners with Trump at a May 22 Private Dinner

Oh Sang-rok, the CEO of Seoul-Tokyo digital asset firm Hyperithm, secured an exclusive seat at a May 22 private dinner with United States President Donald Trump.

Oh Sang-rok, the CEO of Seoul-Tokyo digital asset firm Hyperithm, has reportedly secured an exclusive seat at a private dinner with U.S. President Donald Trump.

The invitation, extended to only 25 people worldwide, was reportedly for top holders of the Official Trump (TRUMP) meme coin, which launched in January. As blockchain records show, Oh Sang-rok holds over $3 million in the TRUMP meme coin, ranking him 13th among its largest holders.

The president's guests were set to be welcomed at the May 22 event with "a special message from President Trump about the future of the U.S. economy and how crypto can play a key role in its growth."

Who is Oh Sang-rok?

Oh Sang-rok is known for his time at Morgan Stanley, where he worked as an M&A professional. He later founded Hyperithm, a digital asset firm with an institutional focus, aiming to serve institutional clients rather than follow general crypto hype.

The firm's approach, which is focused on legal-first jurisdictions like Japan and backed by investors such as Coinbase Ventures, underscores a vision of crypto not as a novelty, but future-proof financial infrastructure.

The Hyperithm CEO has also been a vocal proponent for South Korea to establish clear crypto regulation. "Crypto should be recognized as a core K-asset," he told Korean media earlier this year.

This news comes as South Korea's new administration is set to introduce a bill legalizing Bitcoin (BTC) ETFs in June.

The report from local news outlet DTU, also mentions that foreign workers in South Korea are increasingly asking to be paid in Tether (USDT).

Foreign workers prefer stablecoins

In small towns like Eumseong and Yangju, factories are installing crypto wallet apps and adjusting payrolls, not out of tech enthusiasm, but in response to worker requests.

One factory owner, pressed by over 30 Nepalese, Vietnamese, and Uzbek employees, stated that they "can’t go to the bank easily" and as a result, he had to approve their requests.

For these workers, many undocumented and unable to open bank accounts, cryptocurrency offers a solution to long-standing problems: wage theft, remittance delays, and exchange rate volatility.

After one Nepalese worker lost over 10 million won to dormitory theft, entire communities turned to crypto as a safer, frictionless alternative.

It’s worth noting that, technically, this remains illegal under current South Korean labor law, which mandates that wages must be paid in legal tender. However, the draft indicates that with an estimated over 400,000 undocumented foreign workers in South Korea and an aging population creating labor supply strains, the state has reportedly been turning a blind eye to this growing practice.