Negotiations already launched as reciprocal tariffs come into effect on Wednesday

And country-specific U.S. tariffs are in effect as we speak and the "top team" on trade from South Korea that Mr. Trump earlier mentioned is in Washington D.C. for negotiation rather than retaliation which is the case for China.

Kim Bo-kyoung has more.

Countries hit by tariffs have already launched negotiations with the U.S. as the steeper rates of reciprocal tariffs for what Trump calls the "worst offenders" were officially imposed on Wednesday.

South Korea, which saw a 25-percent reciprocal tariff imposed as of 1PM Wednesday local time, began its talks as well.

Along with Acting President Han Duck-soo's phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump,

Seoul's trade minister Cheong In-kyo arrived at Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, for talks with the U.S. Trade Representative.

Cheong said Korea has two major projects it could bring to the table.

"The Alaska LNG project is an important part, and shipbuilding, where discussions are already ongoing between the two countries is an area the U.S. is particularly interested in so it will likely be brought to the negotiating table for discussions."

While saying his goal is to completely eliminate mutual tariffs, Cheong said Korea will aim to reduce the tariffs gradually if elimination is difficult.

Such talks come as the U.S. is prioritizing its key allies --South Korea and Japan, in holding trade negotiations.

Among dozens of countries facing high reciprocal tariffs, Kevin Hassett, Chairman of the White House National Economic Council, said in an interview with local media on Tuesday that Seoul and Tokyo are the highest priorities, citing them as major trading partners and allies with large trade surpluses with the United States.

Meanwhile, China now needs to deal with Washington's huge one-hundred-four-percent tariff across all Chinese imports.

China was already set to see tariffs increase by 34-percent on Wednesday, following two rounds of ten-percent levies.

The rate shot up again as Beijing did not back down on its decision to impose 34-percent retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods by noon on Tuesday.

"Countries like China, who have chosen to retaliate and try to double down on their mistreatment of American workers, are making a mistake. President Trump has a spine of steel and he will not break and America will not break under his leadership."

Regarding the massive tariff on China, Trump at the National Republican Congressional Committee President's Dinner on Tuesday, said though it might seem outrageous, China has imposed tariffs of one-hundred or one-hundred-25-percent on many American items.

He then said China would at some point, negotiate.

Kim Bo-kyoung, Arirang News.