South Korea Pushes for Summit with Trump Amid Tariff Tensions

South Korea’s National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac informed U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio that Seoul aims to arrange a summit between President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump in the near future, according to a statement released by the presidential office on Tuesday.

The meeting between Wi and Rubio in Washington coincided with Trump’s letter to Lee, which stated that the U.S. would impose a 25 percent tariff on all South Korean products starting August 1. The letter also granted a three-week extension, providing Seoul additional time to negotiate a tariff deal with the Trump administration.

During the talks, the South Korean delegation expressed their desire to hold a summit between Lee and Trump soon. They hope this meeting will lead to mutually beneficial outcomes on all pending issues, as stated by Lee’s office.

The U.S. side reportedly expressed understanding in response to this proposal.

Wi emphasized the importance of advancing tariff negotiations in a way that strengthens the bilateral alliance. He also expressed hope for continued cooperation between the two nations, according to the presidential office.

Rubio concurred with this sentiment and expressed hope that both countries would maintain close communication to reach a trade agreement before the August 1 tariff implementation deadline, the office reported. (Yonhap)