Trade minister to visit US over weekend for trade talks
Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo is pushing to arrange meetings with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and other officials in Washington, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
If materialized, it will mark Yeo's second visit to the US capital since he took office last month.
He held talks with Greer and Lutnick last week to highlight Seoul's commitment to "good-faith" trade talks with the Trump administration.
Seoul has been holding trade consultations with Washington on various trade issues, including tariffs and non-tariff measures, as well as industrial cooperation, with an aim to craft a deal by next Tuesday, when the 90-day pause on US reciprocal tariffs, including 25 percent duties for South Korea, will end.
Despite such efforts, Seoul's trade negotiations with the US have been lagging behind due to an earlier leadership vacuum caused by the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk Yeol following his failed martial law bid in December.
Earlier in the day, Yeo presided over a meeting attended by officials from related ministries to review the country's strategy for its tariff negotiations with the US, which he is set to report to the National Assembly on Friday.
"With the US tariff suspension nearing an end, the outlook for the path of US tariff policies, including whether the suspension will be extended, remains highly uncertain and unpredictable," Yeo said.
Yeo said the government will do its "utmost" to minimize the negative impact from US tariffs on Korean companies, noting the possibility of the Trump administration imposing additional duties after the reciprocal tariffs resume next week cannot be ruled out.
"We will do our best to ensure that Korea is not put at a disadvantage compared to its peers as major countries are actively engaging in last-minute negotiations with the US," he added, vowing preparations for all possible scenarios. (Yonhap)
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