The government’s ‘Foreign Economic Issues Meeting,’ established to quickly grasp and systematically respond to external economic issues, including the launch of the new U.S. government, will be reorganized as the ‘Economic Security Strategy Task Force (TES).’
Han Deok-soo, acting Prime Minister, urgently convened a meeting of ministers overseeing trade relations on the 25th and noted, “It is time to pour all our government and private sector capabilities to secure our national interests in the trade war that has already confronted us.”
Attendees included Choi Sang-mok, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance, Ahn Duk-geun, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, Bang Gi-seon, Director of the Government Coordination Office, Seong Tae-yoon, Policy Chief of the Presidential Office, and Shin Won-sik, Director of the National Security Office.
The Foreign Economic Issues Meeting has been chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister, but the Task Force will be chaired by Han.
A Prime Minister’s Office official explained, “This is aimed at enhancing our responsiveness to the growing external uncertainties, including U.S. government tariff policies, and strengthening the links between trade and security issues.”
The government has also decided to strengthen the public-private joint response system to closely communicate with major corporations that could be significantly affected by changes in the trade environment with the U.S.