Foreign Minister Cho Hyun announced on Tuesday that he plans to meet with U.S. government officials, including those from the State Department and Congress, to discuss mutual tariff issues.
While visiting the U.S. for the South Korea-U.S. Foreign Ministers’ meeting and a ministerial meeting on critical minerals, Minister Cho spoke with reporters at Incheon International Airport’s Terminal 2. He said Trade Minister Kim Jeong Kwan had effectively explained South Korea’s situation to U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and that, as he understood it, she was receptive. He added that, building on that, he intended to convey the same message to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, other U.S. government officials, and especially to members of Congress.
Minister Cho will hold bilateral talks with Secretary Marco in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday to resolve the mutual tariff issue. The two ministers will also discuss the swift implementation of the Joint Fact Sheet agreed upon following last year’s South Korea-U.S. summit.
Addressing U.S. concerns about the passage of the Special Act on U.S. Investment in the National Assembly, Minister Cho said South Korea is a democratic nation with a clear separation of powers, and added that his side was clarifying that matters agreed upon between the two governments were progressing through legislative procedures while seeking understanding for that process.
Responding to suggestions that President Donald Trump’s announcement of mutual tariff increases violated the South Korea-U.S. summit agreement, Cho said it did not breach the agreement and added that it could be interpreted as a message urging South Korea to expedite the implementation of its commitments.
Regarding the possibility of the U.S. linking this issue to other matters, such as the upcoming revision of the nuclear agreement, Minister Cho said that, at present, it seemed unlikely and added that he would collaborate with Secretary Rubio to ensure the swift implementation of the fact sheet.
Regarding the timeline for working-level negotiations on revising the nuclear agreement or introducing South Korean nuclear submarines, Cho said no specific dates had been set, but added that the goal was to solidify the process during the visit to ensure rapid progress. He also said that if the U.S. delegation had difficulty visiting South Korea, the South Korean delegation would be open to visiting the U.S.
Minister Cho added that during his U.S. visit, he also planned to discuss North Korea issues, peace on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia, and global challenges.
