Senior Seoul trade official departs for US to discuss Trump tariffs. Park Jong-won will meet with officials from the U.S. Department of Commerce and US Trade Representative. Park is the first senior trade official from here to make an official visit to the United States since Trump started his second term last month. South Korea’s trade surplus with the US reached US$55.7 billion in 2024. It was also the fourth-largest exporter of steel and aluminum products to the US last year, according to data from the US International Trade Administration. A business delegation, led by SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, also plans to visit the US this week to discuss bilateral economic cooperation and measures to mitigate the possible impact of U.s. tariffs with political and business leaders there. The move has stoked concerns in Seoul that its major industries, such as steel, auto, home appliances and semiconductor, might suffer a direct blow. The visit comes amid the US. plan to impose 25 percent tariffs on all steel and. aluminum imports as well as reciprocal tariffs on its trading partners, including Seoul.
