Prime Minister Kim Min-seok on the 21st addressed the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling that the Donald Trump administration's reciprocal tariff imposition was unlawful, saying, "We will move forward while watching the situation very wisely."
On this day in Pohang, North Gyeongsang, the prime minister held the 11th "K-government policy briefing" for about 300 local residents. He stated accordingly, "We will discuss, amid various circumstances, issues such as whether we can reset the tariff negotiations to zero, or whether we can change some conditions."
He said, "We have not yet discussed this issue at the government level," but added, "While we will proceed in line with the contents agreed upon between the two governments, we are facing a situation in which one country's legal issue is in flux, so while keeping our promises, isn't it possible that a degree of situational change has arisen that allows us to look at the situation more comprehensively?"
He also said, "Basically, tariff negotiations are a political and economic negotiation conducted by the U.S. government, which operates based on U.S. law, with the Korean government, which operates based on Korean law, not solely on legal grounds but with the trade interests of both sides."
Meanwhile, regarding the issue of administrative integration of metropolitan governments, the prime minister said, "Whether to integrate is the choice of Daegu and North Gyeongsang, and whether integration will lead to development or not is also the choice of Daegu and North Gyeongsang leaders and residents."
He said, "To those who say it's merely administrative integration in name only, I would like to ask in return: won't authority and fiscal capacity increase compared to what we have had so far? No one can deny that more finances and authority will follow."
As for the direction of administrative integration, he said, "It is important that the authority of residents and the public, the owners of integration, becomes stronger," adding, "If (even after integration) the same people run things without any change, without checks and balances or criticism, what meaning would that have?"
He then noted, "I think it would be better if it were a politically reformist integration that creates and reflects a slightly more balanced political structure and a diversity of voices."
Regarding the economic slowdown in the Pohang region, the prime minister said, "If Pohang, which led the Republic of Korea, is in this state, what about other places?" and added, "The government will work together on how to maintain steel well and adapt to change, how to outfit it with the clothing of hydrogen, and how to produce and combine secondary batteries, semiconductors, and small modular reactors (SMR) well."
In response to a resident's request for more youth policies, he said, "We are trying to establish a national responsibility system for young people's first careers," adding, "We will surely deliver results on youth issues."
The K-government policy briefing is a public communication event to share major policy achievements since the launch of the Lee Jae-myung administration and to explain the direction of future governance. The prime minister explains policy and engages in a free Q&A. The event was organized at the invitation of the Democratic Party of Korea's North Gyeongsang Provincial Chapter.