First meeting between US and South Korea's industry ministers since President Trump took office... Agreement reached on opening of working-level consultation body - South Korean report

The first meeting between the US and South Korean trade ministers was held since US President Donald Trump took office in January this year. The two ministers established a working-level consultation body to discuss US tariff measures and strengthening cooperation in the shipbuilding sector.
According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Ahn Deok-keun visited Washington DC from the 26th to the 28th and met with Commerce Department official Rutnik.
The two sides held talks in succession with the Minister and other members of President Trump's Cabinet in his second term. This was the first cabinet-level meeting of trade officials since President Trump took office. Minister Ahn also met with the US Secretary of State in January of this year.
He was visiting the country before the Trump administration took office, and Secretary Lutnick and other top industry officials had been approved by Congress and had taken office on the 21st of last month.
During his meeting with Secretary of Commerce Lutnick, Minister Ahn discussed strengthening partnerships in strategic industrial sectors such as shipbuilding and advanced industries.
They also conveyed the concerns of Korean companies about the U.S. government's tariff measures and requested exemptions from tariffs. During their meeting, the two ministers also set up a working-level consultation body to discuss the U.S. tariff measures and a U.S.-ROK trade agreement.
The two sides agreed to establish working-level consultation bodies to strengthen cooperation in the shipbuilding sector. Through these efforts, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy plans to maximize the benefits to Korean companies in the US.
In addition to Secretary Lutnick, Minister Ahn also met with Chairman of the National Energy Agency and Secretary of the Interior Burgum, USTR Representative Greer, and others to announce Korea’s position.
They also discussed ways to cooperate in the energy and trade sectors. They also signed a bill called SHIPS, which aims to strengthen the U.S. shipbuilding industry.
He also met with Senator Kerry, who is promoting the enactment of the "U.S.-Korea Shipbuilding Act," and
Other speakers included Roberts, Chairman of the HYERI-Tage Foundation; Hamley, Chairman of the Center for Strategic and International Studies; and Posen, Director of the Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE).
Minister Ahn said, "We have laid the foundation for strengthening cooperation with the new U.S. Cabinet," and added, "We have taken steps to strengthen cooperation with the U.S. and the Korean government, including the establishment of a joint venture with the U.S. and the Korean government, in order to promote the establishment of a joint venture with the U.S. and the Korean government."
"We hope to hold serious discussions with the United States and achieve the best possible outcome, based on our successful experience in dealing with the enactment of the Intermediate-Rate Inflation Act (IRA)."