Korea-US trade negotiations go adrift
Korea’s trade negotiations with the United States are stuck in limbo amid unresolved friction over the operation of a $350 billion U.S. investment fund. On Sunday, Korea’s Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan returned to Seoul from his visit to New York, where he sought to fine-tune details of the agreement with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. The latest ministerial talks, however, made little progress, apparently due to stark differences in the approach to the fund’s operation. Upon his arrival at Incheon International Airport, Kim declined to specify, only saying that “negotiations are underway between both sides.” While the two nations reached a broad deal in late July regarding the megasized investment fund for the U.S. as part of a tariff agreement, the launch of the fund is being delayed, as Washington is demanding 90 percent of the profits from the investment. Korea has refused, saying such an “unreasonable” deal will harm its national interest. Both countries have also failed to narrow their differences over the financing of the fund. Korea hopes to finance most
Sep 14, 2025By Lee Min-hyung