Seoul: The United States has called on South Korea to address several non-tariff barrier issues during their latest working-level trade consultations. This comes as South Korea seeks a reduction or exemption from tariffs imposed during the Donald Trump administration, according to government sources.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the U.S. emphasized the need for South Korea to tackle non-tariff barrier issues that were highlighted in the 2025 National Trade Estimate (NTE) Report on Foreign Trade Barriers. This report, released by the office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) in March, identified several areas of concern, including South Korea's import ban on American beef from cattle aged 30 months or older, its "offset" defense trade policy, emission-related regulations on imported cars, and pricing policies for pharmaceuticals.
The recent trade talks, held in Washington, marked the second round of "technical discussions" between the two countries. This follows a prior agreement made during a meeting between South Korean Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun and USTR Jamieson Greer at an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) trade ministers' meeting on Jeju Island earlier this month.
South Korea has been actively seeking a full exemption or reduction of the 25 percent reciprocal tariffs imposed by the Trump administration, alongside sectoral tariffs on steel, automobiles, and other imports. A senior trade official, who requested anonymity, noted that while some U.S. requests could be addressed by easing regulations, others involving market access would require adherence to procedures outlined in the trade treaty procedure act. This reference includes South Korea's beef imports and the high tariffs on imported rice.
Currently, South Korea imposes a 513 percent tariff on rice imports but allows a 5 percent tariff rate quota for up to 132,304 tons of annual rice imports from the U.S. The Korean delegation reportedly explained that such issues could be managed through appropriate trade treaty law procedures, such as a parliamentary report.
In efforts to address non-tariff barriers, South Korea has been reviewing Google's request to transfer the country's high-precision map data and has approved the cultivation of U.S.-grown living modified organism potatoes, the sources indicated.
The South Korean government is expected to defer the resolution of sensitive trade issues to the next administration, with the country's presidential election scheduled for next Tuesday.