The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced that Yeohang Gu, South Korea's Trade Negotiations Chief, met with Jamieson Greer, the U.S. Trade Representative, on June 3 in Paris during the 2026 OECD Ministerial Council Meeting. They addressed a range of trade concerns.
Following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on tariff violations, the U.S. has initiated a Section 301 investigation to address issues related to the importation of products made with forced labor and overproduction. Recently, the USTR proposed imposing a 12.5% tariff on products linked to forced labor from South Korea.
During the meeting, Yeohang Gu sought to understand the background of the Section 301 investigation results concerning the ban on imports of forced labor products and the ongoing investigation into overproduction. He emphasized the importance of maintaining a balance of benefits under the existing U.S.-South Korea tariff agreement. The U.S. side reaffirmed its commitment to uphold the tariff agreement.
Additionally, both sides reviewed the implementation status of the joint statement agreed upon by their leaders last November and committed to maintaining close communication to ensure the smooth progression of related follow-up actions.
Yeohang Gu stated, "I clearly conveyed that not only the results of the Section 301 investigation but also any future trade issues should be discussed within the framework of the U.S.-South Korea tariff agreement. We will continue to communicate closely with the U.S. to ensure that trade issues between our countries are managed stably, responding calmly to the remaining Section 301 procedures."
Meanwhile, Yeohang Gu also met with Maros Sefcovic, the EU Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, in Brussels on June 1-2, where he strongly requested favorable treatment for South Korean steel. The EU has decided to reduce the tariff-free import quota for steel starting July 1.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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