South Korea's leader says trade deal with US remains unclear ahead of Trump's deadline

SEOUL – South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said that it remained unclear whether Seoul and Washington could reason their tariff negotiations by the deadline acceptable by President Donald Trump for adjacent week, noting Thursday that some nations were inactive moving to clarify their positions and place areas of agreement.

Speaking astatine his archetypal quality league since taking bureau past month, Lee besides reiterated his intentions to amended severely frayed ties with North Korea, though helium acknowledged that communal distrust betwixt the Koreas is excessively heavy to heal anytime soon.

Trump’s tariff hikes and different “America First” policies are major challenges for Lee's month-old government, arsenic are North Korea's expanding atomic programme and home economical woes. Lee, a liberal, came to powerfulness aft winning a drawback statesmanlike predetermination caused by the ouster of blimpish President Yoon Suk Yeol implicit his ill-fated imposition of martial instrumentality successful December.

Lee said the tariff negotiations with the U.S. person been “clearly not easy” and stressed that the countries indispensable scope mutually beneficial outcomes.

“It’s hard to accidental with certainty whether we volition beryllium capable to scope a decision by July 8. We are present doing our best,” Lee said. ”What we request is simply a genuinely reciprocal result that benefits some sides and works for everyone, but truthful far, some sides are inactive trying to specify precisely what they want.”

Trump’s 90-day intermission successful planetary reciprocal tariffs is acceptable to expire connected July 9, perchance exposing South Korean products to 25% taxation rates.

Washington has separately been seeking higher duties connected circumstantial products specified arsenic automobiles and semiconductors, which are cardinal exports for South Korea’s trade-dependent economy. There are increasing concerns successful Seoul that Trump whitethorn besides request a broader woody requiring South Korea to wage importantly much for the 28,000 U.S. troops stationed connected the peninsula to deter North Korean threats.

Lee has consistently urged patience connected tariffs, arguing that rushing to unafraid an aboriginal woody would not service the nationalist interest. His commercialized minister, Yeo Han-koo, was reportedly arranging a sojourn to Washington for imaginable meetings with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.

On North Korea, Lee said helium would question to reconstruct long-dormant talks with North Korea, whose expanding subject practice with Russia airs large information concerns to their neighbors.

“I deliberation we should amended relations with North Korea based connected a reliable coordination and consultation betwixt South Korea and the U.S.,” Lee said. “But I expect that won’t beryllium casual arsenic communal antagonism and distrust are excessively serious.”

Lee antecedently faced disapproval that helium was tilting toward North Korea and China and distant from the U.S. and Japan. But since the election, Lee has repeatedly vowed pragmatic diplomacy, saying helium would bolster the confederation with the U.S. portion besides seeking to repair ties with North Korea, China and Russia. Some critics accidental it’s excessively hard to fulfill each parties.

Lee's authorities has made proactive efforts to physique spot with North Korea, halting frontline anti-Pyongyang propaganda broadcasts and taking steps to prohibition activists from flying balloons carrying propaganda leaflets crossed the border.

North Korea hasn’t publically responded to the conciliatory gestures by Trump and Lee, but officials said North Korean propaganda broadcasts person since been unheard successful South Korean borderline towns.

Lee said he's been talking with his statesmanlike information and quality officials astir however to revive talks with North Korea but didn't elaborate.

Trump has besides expressed intent to resume diplomacy with North Korean person Kim Jong Un. Lee has said helium would enactment Trump's push.

North Korea has refused talks with the U.S. and South Korea since earlier Trump-Kim atomic talks collapsed successful 2019. North Korea is present pursuing relations with Russia, supplying troops and weapons to enactment its warfare against Ukraine successful instrumentality for economical and subject assistance.

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