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.
Prince William and Princess Kate marked their 14th wedding anniversary Tuesday with a rare joint appearance on Mull and Iona, their first major public trip since the princess’s cancer treatment.
Estonia’s defense minister Hanno Pevkur says the U.S. will keep its 80,000 troops in Europe, calling bases like Ramstein and Naples crucial to NATO’s eastern shield and American power projection despite Washington’s growing Indo-Pacific focus.
Mark Carney walked into the Prime Minister’s Office on Wellington Street Tuesday morning, his first official act after steering the Liberals to a decisive election triumph and reclaiming the reins of Canada’s government.
Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. agreed Tuesday to enhance economic and defense cooperation, affirming their opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the East and South China Seas through force or coercion.
At the Three Seas Initiative summit, Polish President Andrzej Duda, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda, and Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković briefed reporters after talks with leaders from 11 Central- and Eastern-European states, underscoring regional cooperation on energy.
Prince William and Princess Kate marked their 14th wedding anniversary Tuesday with a rare joint appearance on Mull and Iona, their first major public trip since the princess’s cancer treatment.
Estonia’s defense minister Hanno Pevkur says the U.S. will keep its 80,000 troops in Europe, calling bases like Ramstein and Naples crucial to NATO’s eastern shield and American power projection despite Washington’s growing Indo-Pacific focus.
Mark Carney walked into the Prime Minister’s Office on Wellington Street Tuesday morning, his first official act after steering the Liberals to a decisive election triumph and reclaiming the reins of Canada’s government.
Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. agreed Tuesday to enhance economic and defense cooperation, affirming their opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the East and South China Seas through force or coercion.
At the Three Seas Initiative summit, Polish President Andrzej Duda, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda, and Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković briefed reporters after talks with leaders from 11 Central- and Eastern-European states, underscoring regional cooperation on energy.
Russia launched a major missile and drone assault on Kyiv overnight on April 24, killing at least twelve people and injuring 90, including children and a pregnant woman, according to Mayor Vitali Klitschko.
In an expansive interview marking his first 100 days back in office, President Donald Trump sketched out an agenda that touches everything from punitive tariffs and China policy to cease-fire hopes in Ukraine and an overhaul of domestic programmes. Below are the highlights.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for April 23rd, covering the latest developments you need to know.
For three generations, the Liebigs built railcars in Görlitz. Now, the factory that shaped their lives will produce parts for battle tanks.
A deadly explosion at Iran’s Bandar Abbas port has left at least 40 dead, with more than 1,200 people injured, state media reported on Sunday, halting operations at one of the country’s most vital trade hubs.
Amazon says it never planned to display Trump-era tariffs on product pages, disputing a report that drew a sharp response from the White House.
Nearly 39,000 people have been deported to Mexico since U.S. President Donald Trump took office, and 33,000 of them are Mexican nationals, President Claudia Sheinbaum said Tuesday.
Prince William and Princess Kate marked their 14th wedding anniversary Tuesday with a rare joint appearance on Mull and Iona, their first major public trip since the princess’s cancer treatment.
Estonia’s defense minister Hanno Pevkur says the U.S. will keep its 80,000 troops in Europe, calling bases like Ramstein and Naples crucial to NATO’s eastern shield and American power projection despite Washington’s growing Indo-Pacific focus.
Mark Carney walked into the Prime Minister’s Office on Wellington Street Tuesday morning, his first official act after steering the Liberals to a decisive election triumph and reclaiming the reins of Canada’s government.
Prince William and Princess Kate marked their 14th wedding anniversary Tuesday with a rare joint appearance on Mull and Iona, their first major public trip since the princess’s cancer treatment.
Estonia’s defense minister Hanno Pevkur says the U.S. will keep its 80,000 troops in Europe, calling bases like Ramstein and Naples crucial to NATO’s eastern shield and American power projection despite Washington’s growing Indo-Pacific focus.
Mark Carney walked into the Prime Minister’s Office on Wellington Street Tuesday morning, his first official act after steering the Liberals to a decisive election triumph and reclaiming the reins of Canada’s government.
Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. agreed Tuesday to enhance economic and defense cooperation, affirming their opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the East and South China Seas through force or coercion.
At the Three Seas Initiative summit, Polish President Andrzej Duda, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda, and Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković briefed reporters after talks with leaders from 11 Central- and Eastern-European states, underscoring regional cooperation on energy.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment