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Trade minister to visit Malaysia this week for ASEAN economic ministers' meeting and talk with USTR

Published: 23 Sep. 2025, 18:14

Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo speaks to reporters at Incheon International Airport on Sept. 23. [YONHAP]

Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo will visit Malaysia this week to attend a meeting of economic ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and hold talks with U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer, Yeo's office said Monday.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said Yeo will depart for Malaysia on Tuesday to attend the Asean Economic Ministers' Meeting to be held through Friday.

On the side, Yeo will also hold a meeting with Greer, during which the two are expected to discuss pending trade issues between Seoul and Washington.

Yeo met with Greer last week in Washington to discuss the details of a bilateral framework trade agreement reached in late July. Before that, Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan visited New York to hold talks with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.

On July 30, South Korea and the United States reached a framework deal under which U.S. President Donald Trump's administration agreed to lower "reciprocal" tariffs on Korea and sectoral tariffs on Korean autos from 25 percent to 15 percent in return for Korea's commitment to investing $350 billion in the United States and other pledges.

But the two sides have yet to settle their differences on the details of the planned investment, such as its financing methods and profit-sharing arrangements.

In recent trade talks, Seoul has proposed setting up a bilateral currency swap with Washington as a safety measure to prevent confusion in Korea's foreign currency exchange market that could arise with the $350 billion investment in the United States, according to government officials.

The upcoming meeting between Yeo and Greer is expected to cover these issues, as well as ways to resolve visa issues sparked after the U.S. immigration raid on more than 300 South Koreans at a battery plant construction site in Georgia earlier this month.

Issues regarding Seoul's non-tariff trade measures, such as proposed online platform regulations, will also likely be discussed at the meeting.

Yonhap