South Korea and the United States will begin high-level talks this week aimed at negotiating tariff reductions, amid growing trade pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, Seoul officials said on April 20.
South Korea’s Ministry of Economy and Finance and Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced plans for a 2+2 trade consultation meeting in Washington. The U.S. side will be represented by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Jamieson Greer, the chief trade policy adviser at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). South Korea will send Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok and Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun.
“This meeting was proposed by the U.S., and the final schedule and agenda are still being coordinated,” a South Korean government official said.
The talks come as South Korean exporters face rising losses following the implementation of 25% U.S. tariffs on steel, aluminum, and automobiles. However, the government and industry groups in Seoul are approaching the negotiations cautiously, mindful of public criticism over what some see as hasty or overly conciliatory diplomacy, particularly after controversy over Japan’s trade talks with Washington.
In an interview with the Financial Times published April 20, Acting President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo indicated Seoul was willing to discuss reducing its trade surplus with the U.S. by expanding purchases of American liquefied natural gas (LNG), commercial aircraft, and cooperating on naval shipbuilding projects, which he said “may help the U.S. in strengthening their alliances.”
However, Han distanced himself from Trump’s push for a so-called “one-stop shopping” deal, which would link tariff negotiations to increased South Korean contributions to the cost of stationing 28,500 U.S. troops on the peninsula. Han said no “clear framework” existed yet for discussing security issues but signaled a willingness to revisit the current cost-sharing deal “depending on the issues.”
Trade Minister Ahn, who is set to travel to Washington this week, also told The Chosun Ilbo that the negotiations should be viewed as “a long-term process,” signaling Seoul is preparing for protracted discussions rather than a quick settlement. He added that the U.S. has not yet raised the defense cost-sharing issue in working-level talks, and that South Korea would listen carefully to any future proposals before consulting with relevant agencies.
Trade experts warned that revealing all negotiating positions too early could backfire, given the unpredictability of U.S. tariff policy under Trump. “Korea’s tariff talks with the U.S. are a game where the goalposts could move at any time,” said Chang Sang-sik, head of international trade policy research at the Korea International Trade Association (KITA). “We need to carefully assess the validity of any U.S. proposals.”
