Trade Officials Mobilized Ahead of U.S. Section 301 Tariff Announcement... Industry Minister and Trade Minister Head to the U.S.

[Financial News] With the announcement of the U.S. Section 301 investigation results approaching, the government is mobilizing its entire trade team. Following Minister of Trade and Industry Kim Jung-kwan, Minister for Trade Yeo Han-koo is also expected to travel to the United States. The two are expected to make a last-minute push to defend tariffs, with shipbuilding cooperation, which is set to be discussed as an official agenda item, among the key topics. Whether the so-called "Coupang incident," which could become an obstacle to trade talks, will also be discussed is another point of attention.
According to industry sources on the 20th, Minister Kim and Minister Yeo will travel to Washington, D.C. to attend the opening ceremony of the Korea-U.S. Shipbuilding Cooperation Center on the 23rd. Since U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick is also expected to attend, shipbuilding cooperation, U.S.-bound investment, and other trade issues are likely to be on the table.
Beyond the opening ceremony, the trade chiefs are also expected to hold last-minute tariff talks with officials from The White House and United States Congress. The White House is expected to announce the results of its Section 301 investigation around the 24th.
Earlier, the United States launched its Section 301 investigation in March and began examining major trading partners and industries for forced labor and overproduction.
The key question is whether the two sides can uphold the 15% tariff rate agreed upon in last year's Korea-U.S. tariff negotiations. The South Korean government has continued to submit its position to the U.S. side, setting the previously agreed 15% rate as the ceiling. Minister Kim and Minister Yeo are also expected to press that point during this trip.
Another point of interest is whether the two countries can find a way to bridge their differences over the so-called "Coupang incident," which has escalated into a public dispute. As the U.S. side argues that it reflects discriminatory treatment of American big tech firms, while the South Korean government says it is a matter separate from trade and should be handled under Korean law and principles, there are concerns that the issue could spill over into trade friction.

[email protected] Kim Jun-hyuk Reporter