SEOUL, South Korea — SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean President Lee Jae Myung mentioned that it remained unclear whether or not Seoul and Washington may conclude their tariff negotiations by the deadline set by President Donald Trump for subsequent week, noting Thursday that each nations had been nonetheless working to make clear their positions and determine areas of settlement.
Talking at his first information convention since taking workplace final month, Lee additionally reiterated his intentions to enhance badly frayed ties with North Korea, although he acknowledged that mutual mistrust between the Koreas is simply too deep to heal anytime quickly.
Trump’s tariff hikes and different “America First” insurance policies are major challenges for Lee’s month-old authorities, as are North Korea’s advancing nuclear program and home financial woes. Lee, a liberal, got here to energy after profitable a snap presidential election brought on by the ouster of conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol over his ill-fated imposition of martial law in December.
Lee mentioned the tariff negotiations with the U.S. have been “clearly not simple” and pressured that the nations should attain mutually useful outcomes.
“It’s tough to say with certainty whether or not we will attain a conclusion by July 8. We at the moment are doing our greatest,” Lee mentioned. ”What we want is a really reciprocal consequence that advantages either side and works for everybody, however up to now, either side are nonetheless making an attempt to outline precisely what they need.”
Trump’s 90-day pause in world reciprocal tariffs is ready to run out on July 9, doubtlessly exposing South Korean merchandise to 25% tax charges.
Washington has individually been in search of greater duties on particular merchandise resembling vehicles and semiconductors, that are key exports for South Korea’s trade-dependent economy. There are rising issues in Seoul that Trump may additionally demand a broader deal requiring South Korea to pay considerably extra for the 28,000 U.S. troops stationed within the nation to discourage North Korean threats.
Lee has persistently urged persistence on tariffs, arguing that speeding to safe an early deal wouldn’t serve the nationwide curiosity. His commerce minister, Yeo Han-koo, was reportedly arranging a go to to Washington for potential conferences with U.S. Commerce Consultant Jamieson Greer and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
On North Korea, Lee mentioned he would search to revive long-dormant talks with Pyongyang, whose increasing navy cooperation with Russia pose main safety issues to their neighbors.
“I believe we must always enhance relations with North Korea based mostly on a dependable coordination and session between South Korea and the U.S.,” Lee mentioned. “However I count on that gained’t be simple as mutual antagonism and mistrust are too severe.”
Lee beforehand confronted criticism that he was tilting towards North Korea and China and away from the U.S. and Japan. However throughout his marketing campaign, Lee promised to pursue pragmatic diplomacy, saying he would bolster the alliance with the U.S. whereas additionally in search of to restore ties with North Korea, China and Russia. Some critics say it’s too tough to fulfill all events.
Lee added that he had proposed resuming extra frequent summits with Japan.
Lee’s authorities has made proactive efforts to build trust with North Korea, halting frontline anti-Pyongyang propaganda broadcasts and taking steps to ban activists from flying balloons carrying propaganda leaflets throughout the border.
Trump has additionally expressed intent to renew diplomacy with North Korean chief Kim Jong Un. Lee has mentioned he would help Trump’s push.
North Korea hasn’t publicly responded to the conciliatory gestures by Trump and Lee. However officers mentioned North Korean propaganda broadcasts are now not being heard in South Korean border cities.
North Korea has refused talks with the U.S. and South Korea since earlier Trump-Kim nuclear talks collapsed in 2019. North Korea is now working to broaden relations with Russia, supplying troops and weapons to help its warfare towards Ukraine in return for financial and navy help.