Seoul, 18 November 2021 (TDI): US Trade Representative (USTR) Katherine Tai is all set to visit South Korea today; to have bilateral talks with her South Korean counterpart. The two will discuss unsettled issues of trade and tariffs on steel.
The USTR office in a press release stated that this official trip is going to be for four days. Tai is going to fly from Japan. This visit marks a huge milestone for South Korea as it’s going to be the first official visit of a US trade representative in over a decade.
US Trade Representative will discuss trade ties
Tai is going to meet her fellow minister Yeo Han-Koo on coming Friday for a joint committee meeting of the Korea-US Free Trade Agreement. Both the officials will talk about boosting bilateral cooperation between the two countries. The discussion will encompass the matter of global supply chain and export tariffs; on South Korean manufactured steel and aluminum. She will also hold one-on-one talks with Labor Minister An Kyung-Duk in which she will be discussing issues that are related to trade policy and worker’s rights.
Director-level Dialogue Avenue
Earlier this year, the two states established a new director-level dialogue avenue on semi-conductors. The launch meeting will happen next month. South Korea is trying to exploit all the diplomatic channels to revamp Section 232 on the US export of its steel and aluminum.
US has signed a deal with the EU in which some of the European states will be allowed to export their steel and aluminum in the US without paying a duty. However, this agreement has ignited South Korea’s concern over its own US export as the US is South Korea’s second-largest partner in trade and export.
In addition, Tai will also meet other key official representatives; she will underline US commitment to the economic strengthening of the Indo-Pacific Region.
