South Korea’s Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan made his way to Washington on Wednesday for a series of meetings with top U.S. officials, arriving as Seoul prepares for a potential U.S. tariff announcement under Section 301 of the Trade Act.
The trip comes ahead of an anticipated U.S. decision stemming from an investigation into trade practices connected to forced labor — an outcome that South Korean media reports could increase tariff pressure on the country’s exports.
According to South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources, Kim will be in Washington from July 22 through July 25. During that time, he is set to sit down with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to discuss South Korean strategic investment in the United States and other issues affecting the two countries’ trade relationship.
Kim’s schedule also includes a meeting with U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright to explore cooperation on energy and natural resources, along with outreach to members of Congress on trade and investment matters, the ministry confirmed.
Before boarding his flight, Kim told reporters that a key reason for the visit was to attend Thursday’s opening ceremony for a South Korea-U.S. Shipbuilding Partnership Center in Washington.
That ceremony is the result of an agreement reached in May between the South Korean ministry and the U.S. Commerce Department to establish a bilateral shipbuilding partnership. Kim described the new center as a formal channel for cooperation between shipbuilders in both nations.
Kim also said he plans to work on clarifying investment projects tied to a South Korean law that went into effect in June, which is designed to support strategic South Korean investment in the United States.
The minister stressed that Seoul remains committed to putting tariff agreements with Washington into action and maintaining stable trade ties between the two countries.
