Washington: South Korea's National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac has urged U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio for an expedited summit between President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump, as revealed by the presidential office on Tuesday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the discussions between Wi and Rubio took place in Washington, prompted by a letter from Trump to Lee announcing a 25 percent tariff on all South Korean products starting August 1. This was accompanied by a three-week delay to allow Seoul more time to negotiate a tariff agreement with the Trump administration.
The South Korean delegation emphasized the importance of an early summit to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes on various pending issues, as stated by Lee's office. The U.S. side reportedly showed understanding of this request.
Wi stressed the significance of advancing tariff discussions to enhance the bilateral alliance and expressed optimism for ongoing cooperation, as per the presidential office. Rubio echoed this sentiment, expressing a desire for the two nations to maintain close contact to finalize a trade agreement before the tariffs come into effect on August 1, according to the office.