On Tuesday, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun arrived in the U.S. for a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Marco Rubio.
Minister Cho entered the U.S. through Dulles International Airport near Washington, D.C., and is scheduled to meet with Secretary Rubio at the U.S. Department of State later that afternoon.
During this meeting, Minister Cho is expected to request the withdrawal or suspension of the recent tariff increase plans on South Korea announced by President Donald Trump.
On January 26, President Trump stated on his social media platform Truth Social that because the South Korean legislature has not codified the historic trade agreement, it will raise tariffs on automobiles, lumber, pharmaceuticals, and all other mutual tariffs from 15% to 25%.
However, the following day, in response to a reporter’s question at the White House regarding South Korean tariffs, President Trump suggested that they could hold off on the tariff increase depending on the results of negotiations, saying that it will work out a solution with South Korea.
In response, South Korean officials, including Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Kim Jung-kwan and Chief Trade Negotiator Yeo Han-koo, have rushed to the U.S. for discussions with their American counterparts.
Minister Kim returned to South Korea after meeting with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick on January 29 and 30, while Chief Negotiator Yeo remains in Washington, D.C., actively engaging with U.S. representatives, including Jamieson Greer from the U.S. Trade Representative’s office, to make their case.
Before departing South Korea, Minister Cho spoke with reporters at Incheon International Airport, stating that Minister Kim has already explained the situation well to Secretary Ratnik, and he informed yesterday that Lutnick understood. In the same vein, he plans to convey the same message to Secretary Rubio and other U.S. government officials, especially those in Congress.
Minister Cho emphasized that South Korea is a democratic nation with a clear separation of powers, and explained that the government is pursuing legislative measures that have been agreed upon through intergovernmental negotiations, seeking understanding for the situation.
Reports indicate that the U.S. and South Korea agreed to hold this formal meeting of foreign ministers just a day before Minister Cho’s visit. The State Department announced that Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Allison Hooker will also attend the meeting.
On Wednesday, Minister Cho is set to participate in a Ministerial Meeting on Critical Minerals hosted by the U.S. Department of State.
This meeting, led by Secretary Rubio at the State Department, will also include Vice President JD Vance, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Supply Chains David Copley, and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg.
The State Department expressed hope that this historic meeting will accelerate cooperation to secure critical components essential for technological innovation, economic power, and national security.
According to reports from The Guardian and others, this ministerial meeting on critical minerals will include not only South Korea but also G7 countries (the U.S., Japan, the U.K., France, Germany, Italy, and Canada), the European Union (EU), India, Australia, Mexico, New Zealand, and key mineral-holding countries from Africa and Asia.