Washington: South Korea and the United States have wrapped up two days of working-level "technical" discussions in Washington, setting the stage for comprehensive trade and economic cooperation talks. These discussions are crucial as Seoul seeks exemptions from the new U.S. tariffs.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Chang Sung-gil, director-general for trade policy at South Korea's industry ministry, led the delegation in discussions with officials from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). While specific details of the discussions remain undisclosed, the talks were aimed at defining the overall framework for the upcoming trade negotiations.
These technical meetings follow high-level "two-plus-two" trade consultations held on April 24, where then Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok and Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun met with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and USTR Jamieson Greer. During these consultations, both sides agreed to work towards a "July package" agreement on trade issues, targeting a deadline before July 8, when President Donald Trump's 90-day suspension on reciprocal tariffs is set to expire.
The Trump administration initiated reciprocal tariffs, including a 25% duty on South Korean products, on April 9, but paused them shortly afterward to facilitate negotiations. In a recent Fox News interview, Greer noted that South Korea is making positive strides and moving "in the right direction" regarding the trade discussions with the U.S. ally.