Gov't denies push to conclude U.S. tariff talks to campaign on

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Gov't denies push to conclude U.S. tariff talks to campaign on

Published: 01 May. 2025, 13:08 Updated: 01 May. 2025, 17:58

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaks to reporters in the press briefing room of the White House in Washington, on April 29. [AP/YONHAP]

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has drawn backlash after suggesting that Korea and Japan are eager to conclude trade negotiations with Washington ahead of their upcoming national elections. Seoul responded with a swift and firm denial early Wednesday, refuting any intention to accelerate talks for political purposes.

During a White House briefing on Tuesday, Bessent addressed the prospect of delays in trade negotiations due to elections in both countries.

“We are finding that they are actually much more keen to come to the table, get this done, and then go home and campaign on it,” he said.

Korea heads to the polls for its presidential election on June 3, while Japan’s upper house election is scheduled for July 20.

His remarks appear to contradict repeated assurances by senior Korean officials that the next administration would ultimately decide the outcome of trade talks with the United States. The timing of Bessent’s comments has also stirred political controversy, coinciding with acting President Han Duck-soo’s potential bid for the presidency.

Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate for the Democratic Party, issued criticism on Wednesday, saying, "Isn’t that essentially saying acting President Han is using trade negotiations for political gain? This is going too far. At the very least, public officials must uphold basic responsibilities."

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Choi Sang-mok, right, and Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Ahn Duk-geun, who serve as joint chief delegates for the Korea-U.S. "2+2" trade talks, attend a meeting of the Economic Security Strategy Task Force at the Government Complex Seoul on April 21. [YONHAP]

The Korean government pushed back hard. In a statement released at 1 a.m. Wednesday, it said, “We have neither conveyed nor discussed any intention to finalize the framework of negotiations with the United States before the presidential election and then move on to campaigning.”

Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok, appearing before the National Assembly, said, “The remarks seemed intended more for U.S. domestic consumption or promotional purposes tied to [U.S.] President Donald Trump’s 100th day in office, rather than as part of a prepared diplomatic message.”

Trade Minister Ahn Duk-geun offered a similar interpretation.

“Secretary Bessent appeared to be expressing confidence that talks could wrap up within the grace period, and he might have said Asian countries would likely move quickly due to their election timelines,” Ahn told lawmakers. “But we are not procedurally in a place to conclude anything before the election, nor have we considered doing so.”

Korea and the United States have shown differing views on the pace of the negotiations. While Bessent praised Seoul for bringing its “A-game” and described the talks as progressing faster than expected, Choi noted the Korean government aims to finalize a “July package” targeting tariff elimination by July 8, leaving the final decision to the next administration.

Japan faces a similar situation. On April 25, President Trump said Washington was “very close” to a tariff agreement with Tokyo. However, Japan’s NHK reported that officials in Tokyo were caught off guard, with some questioning the basis for Trump’s remarks and speculating they were aimed at bolstering public support.

Observers view the statements from Trump and Bessent as a form of pressure, urging both Asian allies to accelerate trade negotiations. Trump has previously warned, “If it takes too long, I'll just set a price."

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY KIM WON [[email protected]]