South Korean Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo (L) and US Trade Representative Katherine Tai (second from L) listen to presentations by company officials during their joint visit to a SK Siltron CSS factory in Auburn, Michigan on Wednesday. (Yonhap)
BAY CITY, Michigan -- The United States will continue to discuss with South Korea about concerns over the US import quota on South Korean steel products, but Seoul is already in a better position than many other countries, US Trade Representative Katherine Tai said Wednesday.
The remarks come after repeated calls from South Korean officials, including Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo, for the start of negotiations to remove or change the import quota placed by the former US administration.
"I'll just tell you this is something that we have been talking about, which is Korea's interest in looking at the parameters for our steel and aluminum trade," Tai told reporters when asked if the US plans to start negotiations with South Korea.
"But I will also just emphasize that in terms of accommodations from the steel and aluminum import tariff actions, Korea was actually one of the first if not the first ... to secure an accommodation from the tariffs," she added.
The former US administration of Donald Trump placed import tariffs on European and Japanese steel products under what is known as the Section 232 tariff rules.
South Korea, on the other hand, had chosen an import quota instead, limiting its steel exports to the US to 70 percent of its three-year average.
The Joe Biden administration has removed the import tariffs on European and Japanese products since taking office in January 2021.
Yeo earlier called on the US government to "swiftly begin talks" to revise the Section 232 rules on South Korean steel imports.
Tai insisted the country was already given better treatment than many others.
"So we'll continue to talk to Korea about their concerns here, but I also want to remind everyone that Korea is actually already in a better place than a lot of others and they've already gotten an accommodation," said she.
The USTR was on a joint trip with her South Korean counterpart to Michigan to visit the production facility of a semiconductor manufacturer under South Korea's SK Group, SK Siltron CSS.
Tai also expressed hope for joint steps with South Korea to help Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
South Korea is already taking steps against Russia, including financial sanctions and export controls, together with the US and many other countries.
The US, however, has said it will also move to revoke Russia's most favored nation trade status, which, Tai said, would mean "we no longer extend to Russia the courtesy that we extend to all of other WTO members."
"I wouldn't have put it quite the same way you did in terms of whether or not we're going to ask our allies to do exactly the same," she said when asked if the US would ask South Korea to take the same measure against Moscow.
Still, she hinted at the possibility of discussions with South Korea on the issue.
"I also know that Korea is in an administration transition period, but I have every confidence that we will be able to have the conversations we need to do the best we can as allies," she said. (Yonhap)
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