Minister Kim Jungkwan Abruptly Departs for U.S. to Address Tariff Talks and Georgia Detention Crisis Simultaneously

Tariff Negotiations on Steel and Aluminum Stall
Coordinating on the Ground Amid Georgia Detention Crisis

Kim Jungkwan, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, is departing from Incheon International Airport Terminal 2 on the 23rd to attend the high-level U.S. tariff talks. July 23, 2025. Photo by Kang Jinhyung

On the morning of September 11, Kim Jungkwan, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, abruptly canceled all of his scheduled domestic appointments and urgently departed for the United States. He had originally planned to attend a meeting with the Ulsan petrochemical industry and conduct an on-site inspection for the APEC business event in Gyeongju, but he dropped all engagements and headed to Washington. This move is seen as a response to the need for urgent action due to the recent difficulties in the Korea-U.S. tariff negotiations, compounded by the mass detention of Koreans in the state of Georgia.

According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Minister Kim departed from Incheon International Airport on the morning of September 11 for follow-up discussions on the Korea-U.S. tariff negotiations.

Minister Kim’s sudden departure is directly tied to the ongoing Korea-U.S. tariff negotiations. The United States is considering imposing high tariffs of 25% to 50% on key items such as steel and aluminum, while the Korean government is strongly demanding exemptions or partial reductions during the negotiation process. Although working-level discussions have continued since the 'July Package' agreement reached at the summit in July, the two countries have yet to narrow their differences regarding specific tariff rates and the scope of application.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy emphasizes that these negotiations are "a critical issue that could have a direct impact on our core industries, including steel, automobiles, batteries, and semiconductors." Industry representatives have also urged the government to respond actively, noting that "a one-percentage-point difference in tariffs translates into profits or losses of hundreds of billions of won." Observers interpret Minister Kim's direct trip to the United States as an effort to accelerate the negotiations and create a political breakthrough.

Some analysts suggest that the United States may have called Minister Kim to help clear up misunderstandings regarding the mass detention of Koreans in Georgia. Previously, U.S. immigration authorities detained 475 people, including approximately 300 Koreans, at the Hyundai Motor and LG Energy Solution joint battery plant construction site. The repatriation process has been delayed longer than initially expected, reportedly because President Trump directed authorities to consider the possibility of retaining the detained workers in the U.S., describing them as "skilled labor." However, after discussions between Korea and the United States, the direction has shifted toward facilitating their return home.

There is also a high likelihood that the two sides will discuss the visa issue, which has been identified as one of the root causes of this incident. The Korean side has emphasized the need for institutional reforms, arguing that long-standing restrictions on skilled worker visas led to this large-scale crackdown.

The government is strengthening its local response, viewing this incident as potentially having a negative impact on large-scale investments in the United States and on the atmosphere of the tariff negotiations. Korea has already pledged significant investments through a summit with the United States, and southern regions such as Georgia are at the center of these plans. Minister Kim's decision to visit Washington directly and address both the tariff negotiations and the visa issue reflects this context.