South Korea will work to hunt removing from the US Division of Vitality’s (DOE) listing of “delicate” international locations and develop bilateral vitality cooperation, Seoul’s business minister stated on Thursday.
Business Minister Ahn Duk-geun made the remarks as he departed for Washington on a two-day journey to satisfy U.S. officers, together with Secretary of Vitality Chris Wright and Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick.
“We are going to search for varied alternate options, together with getting an exclusion from the DOE listing, to forestall the difficulty from negatively affecting native industries and technological cooperation (between South Korea and the U.S.),” Ahn stated, experiences Yonhap information company.
His journey comes amid considerations that the DOE’s itemizing of South Korea on its “delicate and different designated international locations listing” could result in potential new restrictions on scientific and technological cooperation between the 2 international locations. It additionally comes solely three weeks after his final journey to the U.S.
“The business ministry understands the inclusion was made because of technical safety points because the overseas ministry stated earlier,” Ahn stated, noting he plans to deal with the U.S. administration’s considerations on such points throughout his deliberate assembly with Wright.
The 2 sides may also focus on bolstering bilateral cooperation in vitality, reminiscent of nuclear energy crops, small modular reactors, and fuel, he added.
On his deliberate assembly with Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy subsequent week, Ahn stated he’ll focus on the Alaskan authorities’s plan for the fuel pipeline mission to evaluate the financial feasibility of the plan and what position Korean corporations can play in the event that they determine to participate.
“We will see the U.S. administration has fairly a agency stance on tariffs … so if we are able to get an exemption, we might, however in case we will not, the federal government will hold negotiating with the U.S. to minimise the unfavorable impression on Korean industries,” he stated.
On the U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s latest remarks on “Soiled-15” international locations with excessive tariffs on U.S. items, Ahn stated it’s nonetheless “unclear” whether or not South Korea is on the listing.
“There may be virtually zero tariff on U.S. imports below our bilateral free commerce settlement, however there are some non-tariff barrier points the U.S. has raised, and authorities businesses have been working collectively to deal with the problems,” Ahn stated.
In a latest assembly with South Korea’s commerce minister, U.S. Commerce Consultant Jamieson Greer reportedly introduced up Seoul’s sanitary and phytosanitary measures on U.S. agricultural merchandise, restrictions on South Korea’s geographic information for Google Maps and digital rules, elevating considerations the U.S. could view such points as non-tariff obstacles and use them to stress South Korea.
“For the reason that present state of affairs will not be one thing that may be resolved immediately, we’re working to construct credibility with the U.S. and create essentially the most beneficial surroundings for native industries every time Washington pronounces new insurance policies or makes adjustments to its tariff plan,” Ahn defined.
