Ye Han-gu, Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, said, "We are at the stage of starting negotiations with the U.S. belatedly," noting, "To catch up with the progress of other countries' negotiations, we will negotiate intensively through shuttle negotiations and other means."
Deputy Minister Ye said at a press briefing held at the Government Complex in Sejong on the 12th, "As a new government has been established, we will accelerate negotiations as much as possible," while emphasizing the same point. However, he noted, "Other countries are ahead in terms of the number of negotiations conducted, so we intend to negotiate strategically to catch up, which does not mean rushing negotiations," adding, "We will negotiate in good faith to maximize the national interest."
He explained, "Previously, negotiations were limited as there was no democratic legitimacy," adding, "With the new government established, we will strategically redefine and lead negotiations from a bigger picture perspective and detail how to form a blueprint for the cooperation relationship between the two countries."
Deputy Minister Ye described this negotiation as "a critical negotiation to establish a new framework for cooperation in a wide range of fields such as industry, technology, and investment between Korea and the U.S. over the next five years," and announced plans to expand and reorganize into a task force (TF) involving all ministries.
He said, "We have requested negotiations with the U.S., and given that the U.S. is currently negotiating simultaneously with 18 countries, we plan to start as quickly as possible considering this."
In response to a question about whether the negotiation space is gradually diminishing considering the "U.S. tariff letters," Deputy Minister Ye stated, "Uncertainty is the new normal" and expressed the view that "one should not be swayed by related news."
He further noted, "As conflicting rulings emerged in the U.S. courts regarding [Trump's tariff policy], many countries have experienced confusion," emphasizing that "rather than waiting for the court's judgment, a win-win approach through negotiations is crucial for a sustainable trade, commerce, and investment relationship."
Meanwhile, he clarified his past remarks during his tenure at a think tank, advocating for active promotion of joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) to reduce dependence on the U.S. and China, saying, "At that time, I did not know I would be appointed as the Deputy Minister, and it was my personal opinion as a think tank researcher." He added, "While Korea and Japan may have a competitive relationship in good faith, the intent is to systematically cooperate where there are many strategic interests."