South Korea-U.S. trade negotiations remain deadlocked.

VTV.vn - Currently, South Korea and the United States are facing difficulties in finding common ground regarding the composition and implementation of the $350 billion investment package in the US that South Korea has promised to make.

South Korea-U.S. trade negotiations remain deadlocked.

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung said that discussions between South Korea and the United States on the key details of a $350 billion investment package in the U.S., the biggest point of contention in bilateral trade negotiations, remain deadlocked.

Currently, South Korea and the U.S. are struggling to find common ground on the composition and implementation of the $350 billion investment package in the U.S. that South Korea promised to implement once the two countries reach a comprehensive trade agreement in July 2025, leaving it unclear whether a trade agreement can be announced at the South Korea-U.S. summit scheduled for October 29.

Speaking to reporters last week, President Lee Jae Myung said that the investment method, the amount of investment, the timetable, how the two countries share losses and distribute dividends—all of these remain unresolved issues. According to Lee Jae Myung, the U.S. will seek to maximize its benefits, but must not do so to the point of causing serious consequences for South Korea.

President Lee Jae Myung's press briefing took place on October 24th, a day after Chief of Staff Kim Yong Beom and South Korean Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Kim Jeong Kwan met with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Rutnick during his visit to the U.S. on October 22nd (local time, or October 23rd in South Korea).

President Lee Jae Myung added that negotiations are ongoing and some differences of view remain, but delays do not necessarily mean failure. South Korea is an ally and friend of the United States, so the two countries can reach a reasonable outcome that everyone can accept.

The South Korean president's statement contrasts sharply with recent remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump. In a brief press conference aboard Air Force One on October 24 (U.S. time) at the start of his Asian tour, President Trump asserted that the U.S. and South Korea were very close to completion.

South Korean observers are concerned that it remains unclear whether the South Korea-U.S. summit, scheduled for October 29 in Gyeongju on the sidelines of the Asia- Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, can reach a trade agreement, as South Korean and U.S. leaders have revealed significant differences in their perceptions of the current state of negotiations.

Source: https://vtv.vn/dam-phan-thuong-mai-han-quoc-my-van-be-tac-100251027093021637.htm