S. Korea-U.S. conclude working-level 'technical discussions' on tariffs

South Korean industry ministry officials and their U.S. counterparts have wrapped up their first working-level "technical discussion," which follows the "two-plus-two" trade talks held last week.

Our Lee Soo-jin tells us more.

South Korean and U.S. trade officials concluded two days of "technical discussions" on bilateral trade issues on Thursday, local time.

The discussions, which were held in Washington, marks the first working-level meeting between the South Korean delegation, led by Chang Sung-gil, the director-general for trade policy at the industry ministry, and their U.S. Trade Representative counterparts.

While the details of the discussions were not disclosed, one source said the meeting aimed to outline a framework for future full-scale talks.

The meeting comes on the heels of last week’s so-called "two-plus-two" trade negotiations between Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun, and then-Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.

During the high-level talks, the two sides agreed to create a trade package aimed at securing tariff exemptions by July 8, the day that a 90-day pause in tariffs set by U.S. President Donald Trump is set to expire.

And South Korea is not the only Asian country that the U.S. is holding trade talks with.

The second round of tariff negotiations between the U.S. and Japan kicked off on Thursday, local time, in Washington between Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and his Japanese counterpart,.. Economic Revitalization Minister Ryosei Akazawa.

Bessent emphasized the Trump administration's focus on countries in Asia during an interview on Thursday.

"I am concentrating on our Asian trading partners. So we're meeting with the Japanese delegation today. We've had some good meetings with Korea. So, you know, we we are moving quickly."

He also said that trade deals with other Asians countries may take place before China.

White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller maintained a firm stance on China during a briefing on Thursday, saying that the U.S. will not tolerate intellectual property theft or mounting trade deficits.

He also said the trade deficit in auto trade between the U.S. and South Korea, Japan and the European Union, was "unsustainable" under fair trade conditions.

Lee Soo-jin, Arirang News.