According to government sources here, Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok and Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Ahn Duk-geun will head to Washington for working-level discussions with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
Both sides are currently in finalizing the agendas and other details, with the talks, proposed by the U.S., likely to take place later in the week.
The meeting comes after U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement earlier this month to impose 25-percent reciprocal tariffs on imports from South Korea, followed by a 90-day grace period for negotiations, along with similar measures against other trading partners.
Coinciding with his trip to the U.S. for the G20 meeting of finance ministers and central bank governors scheduled for April 23–25, Choi was initially set to hold talks with Bessent. But the meeting was later expanded to include trade ministers in a "2+2" format.
The U.S. is prioritizing South Korea, along with Australia, Britain, India, and Japan among its top targets for sweeping trade deals. It held its first round of tariff talks with Japan at the White House last week, where Trump made a surprise appearance.
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
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