Bessent's trade talks with Korea being 'rescheduled': U.S. Treasury Dept.
Published: 24 Jul. 2025, 23:24
![U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaks to reporters in Washington on June 27. [REUTERS/YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/07/24/c3d249b2-9b56-4bdf-99ef-0ec2d926aef0.jpg)
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaks to reporters in Washington on June 27. [REUTERS/YONHAP]
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's bilateral trade talks with South Korea are being rescheduled due to a "scheduling conflict," a Treasury spokesperson said Thursday, noting that he looks forward to meeting his South Korean counterparts "soon."
The spokesperson made the remarks after the "two-plus-two" trade talks between Korea and the United States, initially scheduled for Friday, were abruptly postponed. The talks were set to bring together Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol, Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo, Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
"Due to a scheduling conflict, Secretary Bessent's bilateral meeting with South Korea is being rescheduled," the spokesperson said in response to a question from Yonhap News Agency. "The secretary looks forward to speaking with his South Korean counterparts soon."
The spokesperson did not elaborate on the scheduling issue, but there appears to be an event that takes precedence over the high-level trade talks with South Korea.
Bessent plans to attend high-stakes trade talks with China that are set to take place in Stockholm on Monday and Tuesday. But it remains unknown what event the secretary plans to attend on Friday.
Hours earlier, Korea's Finance Ministry said the talks have been postponed because of Bessent's "urgent" schedule. It noted that Seoul and Washington will set a new date at the earliest possible date as the U.S. side proposed holding the meeting in the near future.
Seoul has been striving to reach a trade deal to avoid or lower the Trump administration's threatened 25 percent "reciprocal" tariff and sector-specific duties on steel and automobiles. The reciprocal tariffs are set to kick in on Aug. 1 unless a deal is agreed upon.
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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