U.S. State Department statement omits mention of withdrawing 25% tariffs as South Korea–U.S. foreign ministers’ meeting ends

[Financial News] The South Korea–U.S. foreign ministers’ meeting ended on the 3rd (local time), but there has still been no confirmation that the United States will withdraw the 25% reciprocal tariffs it has signaled on South Korea.
In the press release issued by the U.S. Department of State immediately after the South Korea–U.S. foreign ministers’ meeting between Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington, D.C., there was no mention of withdrawing the 25% tariffs.
During the meeting, Minister Cho was expected to explain to the U.S. side the status of the National Assembly’s special bill on investment in the United States, which President Donald Trump cited as the reason for raising tariffs. He planned to seek understanding and request that the tariff hike be withdrawn or put on hold.
However, President Trump, who announced the tariff increase, could still decide to withdraw it himself. Attention is now on whether a withdrawal plan will emerge after Secretary Rubio reports the outcome of the foreign ministers’ meeting to the president.
Meanwhile, the two foreign ministers reaffirmed the implementation of the commitments laid out in the Joint Fact Sheet (JFS) agreed at the recent South Korea–United States summit.
The State Department stated that the two sides "agreed to work closely together to expand South Korea’s investment in civilian nuclear power, nuclear-powered submarines, and shipbuilding, in support of rebuilding key U.S. industries."
The department also noted that "Secretary Rubio expressed his appreciation for South Korea’s important leadership role in building a secure, resilient, and diversified critical minerals supply chain."
In addition, the two ministers "reaffirmed their commitment to the complete denuclearization of North Korea" and "underscored the importance of trilateral cooperation among the United States, Japan, and South Korea to maintain regional stability and a free and open Indo-Pacific," the State Department said. Reporter Kim Kyung-soo (rainman@fnnews.com)

rainman@fnnews.com Reporter Kim Kyung-soo Reporter