"South Korea–U.S. tariff negotiations MOU in final stages"

Son Min

Summary

The presidential office policy chief said that the South Korea–U.S. tariff negotiations MOU and the joint fact sheet are nearly finalized.
He said the goal is to announce investment, trade, and security together.
He said the joint fact sheet will contain the specific points asserted by our side.

Kim Yong-beom "Investment fact sheet also included"

Final agreement after about three months?

< Trump writing in the guestbook at the Gyeongju National Museum > President Lee Jae-myung on the 29th is watching U.S. President Donald Trump write in the guestbook at the National Gyeongju Museum where the Korea–U.S. summit was held. Provided by the presidential office

The presidential office policy chief said on the 31st, "The tariff negotiations memorandum of understanding (MOU) and the 'joint fact sheet' on tariff negotiations and investment and trade (a basic document summarizing the facts of the agreement) have been almost finalized between Korea and the U.S. authorities."

Policy Chief Kim said at a briefing held that day at the international media center for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders' summit in Gyeongju, when asked when the fact sheet related to the Korea–U.S. tariff negotiations would be released, "It will come out soon." Producing the fact sheet means that the Korea–U.S. tariff negotiations, which had been a tense tug-of-war since the end of July, will be finally settled after about three months.

In a broadcast interview that day, Kim said, "The MOU is quite long, about 25~30 pages," and "I recall the fact sheet being about 3 pages." He added, "(During the wording coordination process) we're tense watching until the end for fear it might change. The wording has been almost agreed on."

Regarding U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick's comment the day after the Korea–U.S. summit that "semiconductors were not included in this agreement and Korea decided to open the (agricultural) market 100%," Kim said, "What matters are the specific expressions contained in the MOU or the joint fact sheet." He indicated that the fact sheet will contain the specifics our side asserts. He added, "If possible, the current goal is to announce investment, trade, and security together." Korea and the U.S. are conducting final negotiations over wording and other matters to draft the security negotiation fact sheet.

Gyeongju=Reporter Kim Hyung-kyu khk@hankyung.com