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

Working-level trade officials from South Korea and their U.S. counterparts have concluded their first "technical talks" on tariffs in Washington D.C.

Our correspondent Lee Soo-jin has 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, mark 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's aim was 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 attended by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, and a delegation led by Japan's Economic Revitalization Minister Ryosei Akazawa.

During the meeting, which lasted about an hour longer than the first round, the U.S. and Japan focused on expanding trade, addressing non-tariff measures, and strengthening cooperation on economic security.

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 very 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.