South Korea's new industry minister departed for Washington, D.C., on Wednesday to hold talks with high-level officials of the Donald Trump administration, about a week before the Aug. 1 deadline for a trade deal is set to expire.
During his three-day trip to the United States, Kim Jung-kwan, minister of trade, industry and energy, will meet with US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, who also serves as the chairman of the National Energy Council, according to his office.
"Given the significant impact that tariff negotiations could have on our economy, the government will thoroughly respond by carefully considering the sensitivities across different sectors," Kim was quoted as saying.
"Although it is currently difficult to predict the direction of US tariff measures, the government will engage in negotiations under close coordination between relevant ministries, with an aim to maximize national interest," he added. "We will make every effort to ensure that this negotiation becomes an opportunity to upgrade the Korea-US cooperation in the industrial and energy sectors, producing a positive-sum outcome for both countries."
The ministry of trade, industry and energy said Kim is expected to highlight the potential for increased cooperation between Seoul and Washington in many strategic industries, including energy, shipbuilding, semiconductors and batteries, while meeting his US counterparts this week.
Kim's US trip, the first of its kind since he took office Monday, comes amid South Korea's efforts to speed up tariff negotiations with the Trump administration before Washington begins imposing 25 percent reciprocal tariffs on Korean products on Aug. 1.
It also comes ahead of planned "2+2" trade talks involving South Korea's Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol, Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo and their US counterparts -- Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer -- set to be held Friday (local time) in Washington.
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun is also arranging a visit to the US to meet with his counterpart, Marco Rubio, according to government officials.
National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac reportedly headed to Washington on Sunday to engage with his US counterparts in tariff negotiations.
South Korea has been negotiating with the US on a wide range of trade issues for months, seeking a full exemption or reduction of the planned 25 percent reciprocal tariffs for the country and sectoral tariffs imposed on all steel and automobile imports by the Trump administration.
Items on the negotiating table are said to include Seoul's import ban on American beef from cattle aged 30 months or older, proposed online platform regulations and restrictions on the export of high-precision map data. (Yonhap)
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