Trade Minister holds talks on U.S. strategic investment projects

The industry ministry said Wednesday that Trade Minister Kim Jung-kwan visited Washington from Aug. 16 to 19, U.S. local time, to discuss strategic investment projects with senior U.S. administration officials.

Kim met U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Aug. 17 and 18 to discuss outstanding issues tied to candidate strategic investment projects and the timetable for advancing them.

The meetings came about three weeks after talks held July 22 and 23, with both sides seeking common ground on key issues involving the candidate projects and their schedule.

Kim was also scheduled to meet Jamieson Greer, the United States Trade Representative, on the final day of the visit to discuss bilateral trade issues, including Section 301 investigations, and ask that communication channels between South Korean and U.S. trade authorities remain stable.

Kim was due to meet Russell Vought, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, to review follow-up action on President Trump's policy to rebuild the U.S. shipbuilding industrial base and discuss bilateral shipbuilding cooperation.

The ministry said it would continue to work to maintain stable trade relations with the United States and preserve the balance of benefits reached under last year's tariff agreement.