Washington: U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said Monday that South Korean officials had flown to Scotland to meet him for trade talks, as Seoul is striving to reach a tariff deal with the United States before this week's negotiation deadline.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the secretary made the remarks during a Fox News interview, apparently referring to Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan and Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo, who went to Scotland, where key U.S. trade negotiators were accompanying President Donald Trump. Lutnick mentioned that the South Korean ministers met with him and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer after dinner, highlighting South Korea's eagerness to finalize a deal.
Lutnick responded to a question about whether South Korea is "jealous of Japan," which has successfully reached a trade deal with the U.S. He asserted that President Trump is "in the driver's seat" in ongoing negotiations, emphasizing Trump's control over determining tariff rates and market access terms.
The secretary suggested that additional deals might be finalized before the negotiation deadline on Friday, though he did not provide specific details. Lutnick described his role as preparing negotiations for President Trump, who makes the final decisions.
Seoul is actively working to secure a deal with the Trump administration before the Friday deadline, when "reciprocal" tariffs, including a 25 percent duty on South Korean goods, are set to be imposed unless an agreement is achieved. Kim and Yeo had previously engaged in talks with Lutnick in Washington and New York before their Scotland visit.
In efforts to find a breakthrough, South Korean officials proposed a significant investment initiative, "Make American Shipbuilding Great Again," aligning with the Trump administration's goal to revitalize the U.S. shipbuilding industry. Additionally, Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol is scheduled to meet with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Washington on Thursday, and Foreign Minister Cho Hyun plans to visit the U.S. capital for discussions with Secretary of State Marco Rubio.