Seoul, Feb 3 (IANS) South Korea’s Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Tuesday he plans to clearly explain to the United States parliamentary procedures in South Korea, after US President Donald Trump warned of a tariff hike citing a delay in Seoul’s legislative process to implement a bilateral trade deal.
Cho made the remarks ahead of departing for Washington, where he is scheduled to hold talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, as Seoul seeks to allay doubts among the Trump administration on Seoul’s pledge to carry out USD 350 billion of investment in the US, Yonhap News Agency reported.
Trump’s threat to raise the reciprocal tariff on South Korean goods to 25 per cent from 15 per cent has stoked concerns that the trade deal may be falling apart. Cho said earlier Trump’s message does not mean the deal’s collapse.
“I will explain in detail to the US side and seek their understanding that the agreements reached between the two governments are in the process of being legislated in accordance with our National Assembly procedures,” Cho told reporters at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul.
“I plan to deliver the same message to the secretary, other US government officials and especially US Congress,” he said.
Asked if the US may use the delay in the trade deal as leverage to push back the negotiations on expanding Seoul’s uranium enrichment and spent fuel reprocessing capabilities, Cho played down such a possibility.
“I will make sure we reach a good conclusion with Secretary Rubio to move in the direction of making efforts toward a swift implementation of the joint fact sheet,” Cho added, referring to the summit document outlining the trade, security and other agreements.
Cho is flying to Washington to attend a US-led ministerial meeting of like-minded countries on critical minerals supply chains, set for Wednesday (local time).
–IANS
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