Home > National > Diplomacy

Foreign minister to meet with U.S. secretary of state after Trump calls for higher tariffs on Korean goods

Published: 03 Feb. 2026, 00:01

SEO JI-EUN
[email protected]

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, left, meets with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the U.S. Department of State in Washington on July 31, 2025. [YONHAP]

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun will hold talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington on Tuesday afternoon, the Foreign Ministry said on Monday, as Seoul ramps up its whole-of-government approach to U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to increase tariffs on Korean goods.

The ministry had announced last Thursday that Cho will attend a multilateral ministerial meeting — hosted by the United States — on critical mineral supply chains on Wednesday during his visit to Washington.

“This will be the first meeting between the two officials since the joint fact sheet was released following the Korea-U.S. summit [last] Nov. 14,” the ministry said in a press statement. “They will comprehensively discuss key bilateral issues, including ways to accelerate the implementation of follow-up measures outlined in the fact sheet.”

Trump threatened to raise reciprocal tariffs on Korea from 15 percent to 25 percent on his social media platform Truth Social on Jan. 26, citing delays in legislative approval of a $350 billion investment package pledged by Seoul.

The government dispatched Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan and Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo to the United States in succession. Kim returned to Seoul without a breakthrough, while Yeo remains in Washington to continue negotiations.

Cho previously dismissed concerns that Trump's remarks amounted to a breakdown of the agreement. He said that the issue should instead be seen as requiring “consultations on the faithful implementation” of the existing agreement and that the controversy stems from differing perceptions regarding the pace of its implementation.

BY SEO JI-EUN [[email protected]]