U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday held a high-level call with South Korea’s acting President Han Duck-soo, discussing tariffs, LNG imports, and a potential $44-billion energy deal — just a day before a 25% tariff on South Korean goods is due to take effect.
“We have the confines and probability of a great DEAL for both countries,” Trump wrote on social media, adding that South Korea’s top negotiating team was already en route to Washington.
The call came ahead of urgent talks between South Korea’s Trade Minister Cheong In-kyo and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, aimed at addressing the widening trade gap and averting a tariff clash.
According to Yonhap, Han expressed hope to strengthen the alliance and cooperate on key sectors including LNG and shipbuilding. Trade Minister Cheong echoed this on Tuesday, saying Seoul was reviewing packages to increase U.S. imports — including liquefied natural gas — in a bid to resolve the imbalance. “It’s difficult to reduce exports,” he said. “So shouldn’t we then increase U.S. imports?”
Trump’s team has made clear that while negotiations with China remain uncertain, talks with allies like Japan and South Korea are a top priority. “We’ve received the instruction to prioritize our allies,” said economic adviser Kevin Hassett.
The energy angle is gaining traction. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Trump is personally involved in brokering a proposed project that would ship natural gas from Alaska to East Asia starting in 2030. “That could be an alternative for them to come forward with — it would provide a lot of American jobs and narrow the trade deficit,” Bessent said.
South Korea is considering joining the Alaska venture, alongside Japan and Taiwan, though questions remain about its feasibility.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt suggested the negotiations could also touch on U.S. military presence and foreign aid. “The president’s approach will be tailor-made. That could include discussions of how troops are paid for,” she said.
Han told CNN that Seoul is keen to avoid any collective retaliation with countries like China or Japan, and prefers a bilateral solution.
Despite the diplomatic push, the U.S. has so far not offered exemptions. Greer told Congress on Tuesday that discussions could stretch into June, with over 70 countries seeking talks.
As the clock ticks toward tariff implementation, both sides appear eager to negotiate — but no deal has been reached yet.
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The world is facing a health financing emergency as global health investment risks falling to its lowest level in a decade, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned.
Japan’s core inflation rose to a more than two-year high in May, exceeding the central bank’s 2% target for over three years and increasing pressure on the Bank of Japan (BOJ) to resume rate hikes.
Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and Uzbekistan’s Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov discussed bilateral partnership and regional security on the sidelines of the OIC Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Istanbul.
Kyrgyzstan's First Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Daniyar Amangeldiev met with Gazprombank First Vice President Oleg Melnikov during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum to discuss strengthening financial cooperation.
The European Space Agency (ESA) has outlined an ambitious vision for human settlements in space by 2040, with autonomous “space oases” on the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
The world is facing a health financing emergency as global health investment risks falling to its lowest level in a decade, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned.
Japan’s core inflation rose to a more than two-year high in May, exceeding the central bank’s 2% target for over three years and increasing pressure on the Bank of Japan (BOJ) to resume rate hikes.
Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and Uzbekistan’s Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov discussed bilateral partnership and regional security on the sidelines of the OIC Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Istanbul.
Kyrgyzstan's First Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Daniyar Amangeldiev met with Gazprombank First Vice President Oleg Melnikov during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum to discuss strengthening financial cooperation.
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The OIC's 51st ministerial session convenes in Istanbul to tackle pressing global and regional issues.
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Israel announced on Saturday that it had killed senior Iranian commander Saeed Izadi, head of the Palestine Corps of Iran’s Quds Force, in a targeted strike in Qom. Izadi was accused of supporting Hamas before its October 2023 attack on Israel.
The European Space Agency (ESA) has outlined an ambitious vision for human settlements in space by 2040, with autonomous “space oases” on the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
The world is facing a health financing emergency as global health investment risks falling to its lowest level in a decade, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned.
Japan’s core inflation rose to a more than two-year high in May, exceeding the central bank’s 2% target for over three years and increasing pressure on the Bank of Japan (BOJ) to resume rate hikes.
Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and Uzbekistan’s Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov discussed bilateral partnership and regional security on the sidelines of the OIC Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Istanbul.
Kyrgyzstan's First Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Daniyar Amangeldiev met with Gazprombank First Vice President Oleg Melnikov during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum to discuss strengthening financial cooperation.
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