Kim Yong-beom, the Presidential Office’s Policy Chief, and Kim Jung-kwan, the Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, departed for the U.S. again this morning just 2-3 days after returning from concluding tariff negotiations.
Before departing, Kim Yong-beom spoke with reporters at the airport, stating that although differences between the two countries have narrowed on many issues, there are still one or two areas of contention. He mentioned that they are returning to create an agreement that aligns with national interests.
Minister Kim Jung-kwan also indicated that there would likely be moments of tension until the very end, and reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring a resolution that reflects national interests.
In response to a question on whether the U.S. and South Korean leaders could sign an agreement at the upcoming APEC Summit, Kim Yong-beom noted that if the trade negotiations are successfully concluded, such an outcome could be anticipated. However, he cautioned that it is difficult to make definitive predictions due to the ever-changing circumstances.
Regarding the possibility of announcing only the agreed portions and excluding areas of disagreement during the APEC Summit, he clarified that leaving out important sections due to timing is not being considered by the government.
It has been reported that during the U.S. visit, the South Korean negotiation team is scheduled to meet with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, among others.