The United States and South Korea concluded the second round of technical discussions regarding tariffs on the 22nd (local time) in Washington, D.C. The discussions were held to coordinate item-specific tariffs and the reciprocal tariff system pushed by the Donald Trump administration.
The South Korean delegation, led by Director General Jang Sung-gil of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, held discussions with the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) and the Department of Commerce over three days. This is a follow-up to the ministerial-level trade meeting held in Jeju on the 16th.
In this round of discussions, both sides focused on six key areas: ▲balanced trade ▲non-tariff measures ▲economic security ▲digital trade ▲origin ▲commercial considerations.
The U.S. side is said to have raised specific issues regarding South Korea's non-tariff barriers. Previously, the U.S. Trade Representative pointed out South Korea's ▲import restrictions on cattle under 30 months of age ▲push for monopoly regulations on online platforms ▲legislative trends regarding network usage fees for foreign content providers ▲offset trade (requests for technology transfer) in the '2025 National Trade Barrier Report (NTE).'
The South Korean side reportedly focused on narrowing the perception gap by explaining domestic systems and realities in response to the concerns raised by the U.S. side. However, it was concluded that discussions would continue in subsequent meetings without specific agreements or outcomes.
As of now, the schedule for the third round of technical discussions has not been set, and it is expected that the next South Korean government will lead substantive negotiations.
Previously, the government conveyed its position to organize key issues regarding tariffs by July 8, when the reciprocal tariff grace period from the U.S. ends, and to prepare the so-called 'July package.'
The Trump administration has currently set a '25% reciprocal tariff' for South Korea, which includes a standard tariff of 10% plus a country-specific differential tariff of 15%. Until July 8, only the standard tariff of 10% is being applied. South Korea's goal is to lower the tariffs and reciprocal tariffs on major items such as automobiles, steel, and aluminum as much as possible.
The U.S. side maintains that South Korea must contribute to reducing the U.S. trade deficit with Korea by increasing imports of American products and decreasing the trade surplus. Additionally, the easing of non-tariff barriers is also being demanded as a prerequisite for tariff reduction.
U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bechennt noted on the 18th that he is focusing on negotiations with 18 countries with significant trade volumes with the U.S., including South Korea.