Wi Sung-lak, the Deputy Minister of the Presidential Office's National Security Office, departed for Washington, D.C., on the 6th to discuss key issues, including the South Korea-U.S. summit. He noted, "The negotiation phase is crucial," and hinted at contact with senior officials regarding the issues between the two countries.
On the way to the airport that morning, Wi met with reporters at Incheon International Airport and said, "Various issues related to trade and security between South Korea and the U.S. have been discussed so far,” adding, “We are entering an important negotiation phase, and I have come to the U.S. to increase my engagement at my level." He further explained, "I have already proceeded with similar discussions during my NATO visit, and (this trip to the U.S.) is to continue those discussions."
Regarding the highly anticipated South Korea-U.S. summit, he stated, "It is one among several issues," adding, "I will negotiate on it."
When asked about the possibility of a meeting with Marco Rubio, the U.S. Secretary of State, who recently postponed a visit to South Korea, he replied, "I am currently pursuing a meeting with my counterpart." Secretary Rubio also holds the position of acting National Security Advisor at the White House.
He continued, "There are tariff negotiations, security negotiations, and various issues," stating, "I will share the results later."
Wi will be in Washington, D.C., from the 6th to the 8th. This visit is regarded as his first official trip to the U.S. since taking office as Deputy Minister, and it is a diplomatic agenda discussing significant issues such as trade and the summit.
His visit comes particularly just two days before the scheduled end of the U.S. reciprocal tariff exemption period on the 8th. U.S. President Donald Trump has previously granted tariff exemptions to allies, leaving room for bilateral negotiations. Consequently, there are expectations that Wi will contact senior officials at the National Security Council (NSC) or the Department of State regarding an extension of the exemption period or adjustments to the tariff rates. Yeo Han-koo, the Chief Negotiator at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, arrived in the U.S. first and is currently conducting working-level negotiations, while Wi appears to be taking part in high-level diplomatic discussions directly.
Coordinating the schedule for the South Korea-U.S. summit, which has not yet been held since President Lee Jae-myung took office, is also a key objective of this trip. Earlier, it was expected that a face-to-face meeting with President Trump would take place at the Group of Seven (G7) summit held in Canada last month; however, it was canceled when President Trump returned home early due to the Middle East situation. Additionally, President Lee's attendance at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit was ultimately decided against after careful consideration, resulting in no meeting between the leaders of the two countries.
However, at that time, Wi had a brief meeting with President Trump in his place and formed a consensus on the necessity of an early South Korea-U.S. summit with Secretary Rubio. While Secretary Rubio's visit to South Korea was canceled due to internal circumstances, this time, it seems that Wi will directly visit the U.S. to find a breakthrough for additional negotiations.