USTR Greer to visit South Korea for trade talks this week

Seoul, May 11 (IANS) US Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer plans to visit South Korea this week for talks on the US new tariff scheme and other bilateral trade issues, officials said on Sunday.

Greer is scheduled to arrive in South Korea on Thursday for a two-day stay to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) trade ministers meeting, which will be held on the southern resort island of Jeju, according to government officials, reports Yonhap news agency.

On the sidelines of the meeting, Greer is expected to have high-level talks with South Korea's Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun or Trade Minister Cheong In-kyo, as well as other counterparts, as consultations are now under way about U.S. President Donald Trump's administration's new tariff policies.

Last month, the United States began imposing reciprocal tariffs on partner nations, including 25 percent duties on South Korea, only to place a pause on them shortly afterward to allow for one-on-one negotiations.

Seoul and Washington agreed to seek a package agreement on trade and other related issues before July 8, when Trump's 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs ends.

Given the situation, the upcoming high-level talks are expected to serve as a turning point in shaping the direction of trade negotiations, with the U.S. likely to present detailed demands and both sides coordinating schedules and formats for future negotiations, according to experts.

South Korea has said it will approach talks with the U.S. in a calm and prudent manner, without haste, ahead of the June 3 presidential election triggered by the recent ouster of President Yoon Suk Yeol over his brief imposition of martial law in December.

Earlier, South Korea and the United States concluded two-day working-level "technical" discussions in Washington to set the contours of their full-fledged talks over trade and economic cooperation issues, a source said, as Seoul is seeking exemptions from new U.S. tariffs.

The Trump administration started imposing reciprocal tariffs, including 25 duties on South Korea, on April 9, only to place a pause on them shortly afterward to allow for negotiations.

—IANS

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