Trump orders immediate tariff talks with S. Korea, Japan, India
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Seoul: Acting President Han Duck-soo revealed on Monday that U.S. President Donald Trump had "apparently" instructed his administration to initiate immediate tariff negotiations with South Korea, Japan, and India. Han made this statement during a meeting with government officials and major business leaders, referencing a phone call he had with Trump the previous week.
Han discussed the upcoming implementation of reciprocal tariffs between the U.S. and South Korea, noting that the U.S. administration is expected to engage in discussions with South Korea, Japan, and India regarding the details. He stated, "President Trump was very satisfied and apparently gave instructions to hold immediate negotiations with South Korea, Japan, and India."
The exact basis for Han's comment was unclear, but on the same day that Han spoke with Trump, Kevin Hassett, Director of the White House National Economic Council, told Fox News that Trump had expressed a clear focus on two of the U.S.'s closest allies and trading partners—Japan and South Korea—when it comes to tariff negotiations.
The following day, Trump announced a 90-day delay in the implementation of reciprocal tariffs, including the 25 percent tariff on South Korea. Han expressed his willingness to communicate directly with Trump to find a solution and pledged to send a negotiating team, led by Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun, to the U.S. soon.
Han added that South Korea and the U.S. are expected to establish a comprehensive negotiation system and begin discussions soon to develop detailed measures. He also noted that the two sides are likely to hold a videoconference in the next one or two days regarding their cooperation on a liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Alaska.
The LNG project was also discussed during Han’s phone conversation with Trump. The U.S. president highlighted the interest of South Korea and other countries in partnering with the U.S. to develop a pipeline from Alaska’s North Slope, a major natural gas reserve, to southern Alaska for shipping LNG to Asia.
Han emphasized that President Trump agreed with South Korea’s commitment to conducting negotiations that will benefit both nations. During the meeting, business executives, including Kim Won-kyong, president of Samsung Electronics, and Kim Dong-wook, vice president at Hyundai Motor, urged the government to seek tariff exemptions on equipment their companies are bringing to the U.S. as part of efforts to establish manufacturing plants there.
With IANS inputs