Minister Kim Jeonggwan Arrives in Washington Amid Tariff Pressure... Launches Korea-U.S. Trade Clarification Efforts

Focusing on Resolving U.S. Misunderstandings Over Implementation of Investment and Trade Agreements

Kim Jeonggwan, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, has arrived in Washington, D.C., United States. As U.S. President Donald Trump publicly announced plans to raise tariffs on Korean products from the current 15% to 25%, and as the U.S. began to raise issues regarding the implementation of investment and trade agreements between Korea and the United States, the Korean government has urgently dispatched a high-level trade delegation to respond.

According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy on January 29, Minister Kim arrived in Washington, D.C. on this day (local time) and is scheduled to hold a series of meetings with senior officials from relevant U.S. departments, including the Department of Commerce. In particular, the main focus will be on clarifying the facts and correcting misunderstandings regarding the "delay in the implementation of the investment agreement by the Korean National Assembly," which President Trump cited as grounds for the tariff increase.

The Korean government believes that there are significant misunderstandings on the part of the United States. The government's strategy is to emphasize that the investment agreement itself has not been canceled or rolled back, but that time is simply required due to parliamentary procedures. Before his departure, Minister Kim also stated, "Our commitment to implementing the agreement remains unchanged, and I will provide an accurate explanation of the current progress."

During his visit to the United States, Minister Kim plans to hold consecutive meetings with key U.S. officials, including Howard Lutnick, Secretary of Commerce, and Chris Wright, Secretary of Energy. He will explain Korea's efforts to date and urge for a favorable resolution of the matter.

In particular, he plans to convey the Korean industry's concerns, as Korea's main export items-such as semiconductors, automobiles, and batteries-could become direct targets of the tariff increase.

A government official stated, "Our priority is to share the facts with the U.S. side and resolve unnecessary misunderstandings," adding, "We will fully utilize working-level consultation channels to minimize damage to the industry."