Seoul's efforts to lower U.S. tariffs on specific items will be 'challenging': Fmr. acting USTR

Seeking exemptions from product-specific U.S. tariffs will be "very challenging".

This is according to Stephen Vaughn former acting U.S. Trade Representative while addressing members of the Korean media in Washington on Tuesday local time.

South Korea has been pressing for exemptions on products such as steel which faces a 50-percent tariff and autos which have been slapped with a 25-percent tariff.

The former trade official pointed out that steel and autos are seen as critical to U.S. security and warned that slashing tariffs for one ally would open the floodgates for others.

He nonetheless hinted that greater access for American agricultural products like rice and beef into the Korean market might help Seoul's case.