South Korea: The security adviser for is scheduled to go to Washington to discuss post-summit measures
South Korea: According to sources on Monday, South Korea’s National Security Advisor, Wi Sung-lac, is scheduled to travel to Washington this week to meet with senior US officials. The two countries are anticipated to discuss follow-up measures to the summit between US President Donald Trump and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung in late October.
According to the people acquainted with the matter, Wi is anticipated to see US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who also serves as national security advisor, when he travels to the US capital on Tuesday, Yonhap News Agency said.
The trip follows the publishing of a joint fact sheet by the allies last month detailing security and trade agreements made during the second Lee-Trump meeting, which took place on October 29 in the southern city of Gyeongju, South Korea, ahead of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation conference.
Three task force teams have been established by the presidential National Security Office in Seoul to manage working-level discussions on security-related agreements with the United States.
Key topics of discussion include South Korea’s efforts to create nuclear-powered submarines, secure uranium enrichment and spent fuel reprocessing capabilities, and manage defense budget difficulties.
Since the White House just unveiled a new National Security Strategy, Wi is also anticipated to talk about collaboration on North Korea policy during his discussions. North Korea is not mentioned in the paper, which has Seoul wondering whether the Trump administration is paying less attention to the problem.
Although Lee and Trump have both said that they would want to begin talks with Pyongyang, it is still unclear whether the North would accept such an offer.
A joint committee for the South Korea–US Free Trade Agreement (FTA) will be formed shortly to carry out a recent tariff agreement that the two nations made, according to South Korea’s Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol on Friday.
During summit meetings between Lee Jae Myung and Donald Trump in late October, Seoul and Washington finalized an agreement detailing the specifics of South Korea’s US$350 billion investment plan, made in return for decreasing US tariffs.
While chairing a ministers’ meeting on the economy, Koo said, “The two countries plan to push forward with hosting the South Korea–US FTA Joint Committee soon to ensure proper implementation of the agreed measures.”
A notification implementing several tariff components of the South Korea-US trade agreement, such as a 15% duty rate reduction on Korean automobiles retroactive to November 1, was published by the Trump administration on the Federal Register last week.
In order to make sure that the comprehensive implementation plan for non-tariff measures serves the interests of the country, Seoul will carefully coordinate with Washington, Koo stated.
In order for the tariffs on other goods that are susceptible to tariff reductions, such natural resources and generic medications, to be decreased as soon as possible, the minister also promised to work fast to wrap up negotiations on these topics.