Trade ministers from South Korea, US hold tariff-related talks in Jeju

Trade Minister Ahn Duk-geun meets USTR’s Jamieson Greer in Washington on April 24 Courtesy of the Ministry of Trade Industry and Energy — Trade Minister Ahn Duk-geun (right) shakes hands with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Washington, D.C. on April 24, 2025. Courtesy of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

SEOUL, May 16 (AJP) - Trade ministers from South Korea and the United States are continuing talks to narrow differences during a series of meetings on the sidelines of the preparatory gathering for this fall's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, which wraps up in Jeju on Friday.

Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Ahn Duk-geun is holding talks with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer over Washington's proposed 25-percent reciprocal tariffs on South Korean exports, following working-level discussions between the two countries earlier in the week.

Friday's agenda includes negotiations on the U.S.' steep tariffs on automobiles and steel, as part of broader talks aimed at reaching a packaged deal by July 8, the day U.S. President Donald Trump's 90-day tariff suspension is set to expire.

South Korea is apparently pushing for trade exemptions in exchange for expanded cooperation in the shipbuilding and energy sectors.

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer (left) shakes hands with HD Hyundai CEO Chung Ki-sun before a meeting in Jeju on May 16, 2025. Yonhap

Meanwhile, Greer met with the CEOs of several South Korean shipbuilders including HD Hyundai and Hanwha Ocean, reportedly discussing tariff-related issues and cooperation. Chinese trade envoy Li Chenggang has also been on the southern resort island, holding one-on-one trade talks with senior U.S. officials.

The two-day preparatory gathering, attended by representatives from 21 member countries and senior officials from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the World Trade Organization (WTO), is being held ahead of this year's APEC summit, which is scheduled to take place in late October in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province.

Lim Jaeho ajupresswogh@ajunews.com

Trade ministers from South Korea, US hold tariff-related talks in Jeju

Related