COUNTRY-TAILORED TRUMP TARIFFS KICK IN

Welcome to Press Perspective for this Wednesday April 9th here in Seoul.

I'm Min Sunhee.

The art of the deal for South Korea is negotiation over retaliation in response to Mr. Trump's country-tailored tariffs that are in effect today.

For more I have Ruy Valdes with Spanish news agency EFE Spain.

Ruy welcome back.

I also have Professor Kim Yong-jin at Sogang University joining our session virtually.

Professor Kim it's a pleasure as always.

#1) Ruy, acting President Han Duck-soo and U.S. President Donald Trump spoke on the phone Tuesday evening to mark the first leader-level talks between Seoul and Washington since the start of the second Trump term.

#2) Professor Kim, speaking in an interview with CNN, acting President Han spoke of negotiation rather than retaliation with regard to Trump tariffs, and he also played down prospects of a trilateral economic response including South Korea, Japan and China to U.S. import duties.

3-1) Ruy, the South Korean stock market tumbled at the start of this workweek, triggering a circuit breaker for five minutes during early morning trade on Monday.

3-2) Ruy, the 25-percent tariff on CAR imports into the U.S. market went into effect on APRIL 3rd, and the same tariff on CAR PART imports is expected to take effect by MAY 3rd.

4) Professor Kim, foreign automakers are responding to U.S. tariffs on car imports with layoffs as well as halts in exports to the American market.

5) Ruy, Trump tariffs are also being condemned among the public in the U.S.

6) Ruy, some pundits believe the Trump administration's tariff campaign will not last long.

7) Professor Kim, speaking within your capacity as a scholar, what are your prospects with regard to Mr. Trump's tariff policy?

8) Ruy, the so-called reciprocal tariffs kick in on this Wednesday, with South Korea facing a hefty import duty of 25 percent.

9) Professor Kim, some of the economic priorities for Korea, as we speak, are reviving domestic consumption and responding to U.S. tariffs.