Korea, US to hold '2+2' trade talks in Washington amid tariff concerns

Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok speaks to reporters before departing for Washington at Incheon International Airport in Incheon, April 22. Yonhap

Korea and the United States were set to hold their first "2+2" trade dialogue involving finance and trade ministers in Washington on Thursday, in what is seen as a key step toward potentially easing recently announced U.S. tariffs.

The high-level talks, scheduled for 8 a.m. (local time), or 9 p.m. in Korea, will bring together Korean Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok and Trade Minister Ahn Duk-geun, alongside U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer.

The talks are drawing keen attention as Korea, an export-driven economy, will be among the first countries to engage the Trump administration following the announcement of the U.S.' country-specific "reciprocal" tariffs. The tariffs, including a 25 percent import duty for Korea, went into effect on April 9, but were suspended shortly after for 90 days to allow negotiations.

According to the Ministry of Economy and Finance, Choi and Ahn held preliminary working-level discussions with other Korean delegates on Wednesday (local time). At the meeting that lasted about 80 minutes, the officials reportedly reaffirmed the goals of their negotiations and reviewed response strategies under various U.S. policy scenarios.

Speaking earlier, Ahn said Seoul aims to seek the removal of the Trump administration's reciprocal tariffs and swiftly address Washington's auto tariff measures.

A new 25 percent tariff on automobiles took effect on April 3, with similar duties on certain auto parts scheduled for implementation by May 3.

Choi, who doubles as deputy prime minister for economic affairs, is the highest-level Seoul official to visit the U.S. since Trump took office in January.

Observers noted that Thursday's talks may cover a wide array of bilateral trade issues, including U.S. tariffs and non-tariff barriers, such as Korea's ban on American beef from cattle older than 30 months.

Discussions could also possibly extend to Seoul's financial contribution to the cost of stationing 28,500 U.S. troops in Korea, as the Trump administration has linked defense burden-sharing to broader trade negotiations, describing its approach as "one-stop shopping."

The trade meeting will be held at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, located near the White House. The location is seen as minimizing the likelihood of an unexpected appearance by Trump.