Seoul: Acting President Lee Ju-ho on Monday presided over a meeting of top officials on economic security ahead of working-level trade talks with the United States this week, his office said.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the meeting discussed preparations for the second round of technical talks related to U.S. tariffs scheduled to be held in Washington from Tuesday to Thursday. This follows the first round of discussions that took place earlier this month.
The gathering's participants included key figures from the industry, foreign, and finance ministries. They shared insights and results from last week's discussions with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, which were held on South Korea's southern island of Jeju.
Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun and Trade Minister Cheong In-kyo each conducted separate meetings with Greer during his visit to Jeju. These discussions are crucial as South Korea aims to address significant trade issues with the United States.
Acting President Lee emphasized the importance of this week's talks, urging officials to aim for reaching an agreement by July. He called for close coordination between various government branches to ensure a unified approach.
The upcoming discussions are set to focus on six critical areas related to trade, including trade imbalances, non-tariff measures, economic security, digital trade, country of origin of products, and commercial considerations.