Minister And Deok-geun of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said on the 23rd, "I will prepare a solution as quickly as possible for the automobile sector, which is suffering significant damage due to a 25% tariff on certain items."
Minister And met with reporters at Incheon International Airport before departing for a high-level trade consultation between South Korea and the United States in Washington, D.C., called the "2+2" meeting, stating, "I will approach the consultation calmly and prudently."
Minister And noted he would discuss resolving trade imbalance issues and primarily address cooperation in the shipbuilding and energy industries at this 2+2 consultation. He said, "We plan to discuss industrial cooperation, including trade imbalance issues and cooperation in the shipbuilding and energy sectors, and we aim to establish a foundation for continued collaboration between the two countries going forward."
Minister And is also aware of the possibility that the increase in defense cost-sharing may be presented as a surprise agenda item. He stated, "We are aware of the situation in Japan and are making preparations, keeping the possibility of raising defense cost-sharing on the agenda open."
In response to a question about whether the absence of the president would be an obstacle, he replied, "We will do our best with what we can do now, and if more time is needed, we will closely consult with the next administration to ensure we can protect our industrial sector as best as possible."
Meanwhile, there are analyses suggesting that U.S. President Donald Trump could appear at this meeting. Minister And said, "We are also staying prepared for the possibility of a meeting with President Trump."
Additionally, Minister And plans to hold separate consultations with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer following the 2+2 discussions. He said, "We have been addressing non-tariff issues at a practical level, and we plan to have a more substantive consultation this time."
Minister And plans to discuss the "imposition of fees on foreign car carriers" during his meeting with Representative Greer. The United States announced on the 17th that it would impose fees on foreign car carriers starting on October 17. He stated, "We will discuss amicable solutions that may not pose significant problems in trade between the two countries."