Trade minister says S. Korea looks to maximize 'practical interests' in trade talks with US

WASHINGTON — South Korea's Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo on Saturday stressed Seoul's focus on maximizing "practical interests" in ongoing trade talks with the United States, as he arrived in Washington with just days left before U.S. President Donald Trump's pause on steep tariffs expires. Speaking to the press, Yeo noted that "all possibilities" appear to remain open, saying that the pause on "reciprocal" tariffs could be extended beyond Tuesday, and that the two countries could also reach a broad agreement in principle rather than a full-fledged trade deal. Yeo's arrival came a little over a week after his last trip to the U.S. capital, underscoring the new South Korean government's commitment to striking a trade deal with the Trump administration. He was set to resume talks with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on the day. "Even if (the U.S.) unveils a new reciprocal tariff rate for each country, including South Korea, following the expiry of the July 8 pause on the tariffs, we anticipate that there could be a little (additional) period of pause," he told reporters as he walkWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times