Munich: Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul said he will seek to explore a solution to the issue of the Trump administration’s planned and potential tariffs on South Korea during his planned talks with his U.S. counterpart. Cho made the remarks as he arrived at Munich International Airport to attend an annual international security forum in Munich, where he is set to have his first in-person meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday (local time).
According to Yonhap News Agency, the planned talks come as President Donald Trump announced a plan to impose 25-percent tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, starting March 12, and is pushing to roll out “reciprocal” tariffs on U.S. imports to match what other countries impose on American goods. Trump has also been weighing tariffs on cars, chips, and pharmaceuticals.
Cho expressed his intention to discuss strategic cooperation in sectors such as shipbuilding, atomic energy, and cutting-edge technology, including semiconductor and artificial intelligen
ce. He aims to explain South Korea’s stance on the proposed tariffs and express a willingness to resolve the issue through dialogue.
The foreign minister acknowledged that there might not be sufficient time to delve into specific solutions during the talks but emphasized the importance of conveying South Korea’s position as groundwork for future discussions.
Cho highlighted the need to consider Trump’s transactional approach to foreign policy while seeking to enhance South Korea’s national interests. He stressed the importance of demonstrating South Korea’s significant role in the alliance and its potential contributions to Trump’s vision for America.
In a previous call with Secretary Rubio on January 23, Cho confirmed shared consensus on the alliance, cooperation on North Korean issues, and the importance of trilateral cooperation among South Korea, the U.S., and Japan. He plans to engage in more serious discussions on these matters during the upcoming talks.