Photo : YONHAP News
Trade, Industry and Energy Minister Ahn Duk-geun has departed for the United States for talks on the new U.S. tariffs and South Korea’s presence on a list of “sensitive” countries. Before leaving for the two-day trip to Washington on Thursday, Ahn told reporters at Incheon International Airport that he will seek South Korea’s removal from the list or pursue alternatives to ensure the situation does not hinder technology cooperation in the industrial sector. Ahn said the Seoul government has confirmed that the U.S. Department of Energy made the designation due to technological security issues, as the foreign ministry said previously. According to the trade ministry, Ahn will meet with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and Energy Secretary Chris Wright during the trip. The ministry said earlier that in the meeting with Lutnick, Ahn plans to request nondiscriminatory treatment for South Korea in relation to the reciprocal tariffs set to take effect April 2, highlighting the contributions of South Korean companies to the U.S. economy.
In the meeting with the energy secretary, Ahn said he plans to discuss energy cooperation on nuclear power plants and small modular reactors, as well as the U.S. decision to include South Korea on its Sensitive and Other Designated Countries List.