Acting president promises more support for auto industry during visit to Kia plant

Acting President Han Duck-soo speaks during a meeting at a Kia car plant in Gwangju, South Jeolla Province, Tuesday. Yonhap

Acting President Han Duck-soo visited a Kia car plant Tuesday and promised to provide the industry with more support as needed following the imposition of steep U.S. tariffs.

Han's visit to the Kia plant in Gwangju, 267 kilometers south of Seoul, came days after the United States imposed 25 percent tariffs on all imported cars, one of South Korea's biggest industries.

Around 35 percent of cars produced at the Gwangju facility are exported to the U.S., Han noted, making the impact of the levies especially large.

"U.S. President Trump has stated his will to prioritize negotiations with South Korea and other allies, so we are putting our best effort into negotiating to minimize the tariff burden," Han said.

The acting president recalled the government announced plans last week to inject an additional 2 trillion won ($1.35 billion) in liquidity into the local auto industry, saying there are also plans to increase the sector's budget for research and development.

"Even after the announcement of these measures, the government has plans to provide additional necessary measures when they are needed in close communication with the industry," he said.