SEOUL (Reuters) -South Korea’s top trade envoy Cheong In-kyo said on Thursday that U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff reprieve had provided room for negotiations, as the country seeks to reduce tariffs through talks.
Cheong met U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer about lowering tariff rates on the country and delivered concerns about U.S. tariff measures, the trade ministry said on Thursday.
He flew to Washington to negotiate with U.S. officials after President Trump announced a 25% tariff on its key Asian ally among a new set of sweeping tariffs.
In a stunning reversal on Wednesday, Trump said he would temporarily lower the hefty duties he had just imposed on dozens of countries while further ramping up pressure on China.
Cheong found the reprieve “positive”, but swift consultations with Washington are still needed to minimise impact, considering South Korea’s exports to China, and any balloon effect, he told reporters.
Trump spoke to South Korean interim leader Han Duck-soo late on Tuesday to discuss shipbuilding and potential energy deals in what Trump labelled a “great call,” as South Korea seeks to negotiate with Washington over tariffs.
Cheong, the trade envoy, said the Trump-Han dialogue had created favourable momentum for further negotiations, the ministry said in a statement.
(Reporting by Ju-min Park; Editing by Chris Reese, Rod Nickel and Lincoln Feast.)