S. Korea, US pledge to cooperate on N. Korea, but tariff issue unresolved

Seoul faces increased pressure amid Trump’s hawkish stance on Beijing

By Lee Hyo-jin

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio for the first time in Munich, Saturday (local time), reaffirming their commitment to work together to address North Korean nuclear threats and strengthen economic ties.

The 40-minute meeting, however, fell short of thoroughly addressing key trade issues, leaving lingering concerns as the U.S. government's "America First" trade policy continues to unnerve South Korean businesses.

The meeting, held on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, marked the first face-to-face high-level exchange between the two allies since U.S. President Donald Trump's return to the White House on Jan. 20. It aimed to address concerns over a gap in Seoul's summit diplomacy, as President Yoon Suk Yeol faces an impeachment trial over his martial law declaration late last year.

According to South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cho and Rubio reaffirmed their shared goal of North Korea’s complete denuclearization and pledged to coordinate closely on Pyongyang-related policies. They also expressed concerns over the growing military cooperation between Russia and North Korea and vowed to continue monitoring the situation.

Additionally, they agreed to deepen collaboration in key sectors, including shipbuilding, nuclear energy, liquefied natural gas and advanced technologies.

On tariff-related issues, Cho stressed the importance of close consultations to resolve the matter and find mutually beneficial solutions. In response, Rubio said relevant U.S. government agencies would review the issues.

However, it remains unclear how committed Rubio is to resolving tariff issues, as the U.S. State Department’s press release on the Cho-Rubio meeting made no mention of tariff discussions.

A South Korean foreign ministry official pointed out that Washington is still in the early stages of reviewing its trade policies, adding, "The meeting served as an opportunity to convey our concerns and deliver a message to initiate related discussions."

These developments come as South Korean businesses remain on edge as Trump moves to shake up the global trade environment, which he claims has been unfair to American manufacturers.

The U.S. leader has announced a 25 percent tariff on steel and aluminum imports, set to take effect on March 12, and introduced additional tariffs on imported cars starting in early April. This move could severely impact Korea’s car exports, which constitute one of the country’s top outbound shipments.

During his meeting with Rubio, Cho reportedly requested cooperation in arranging a phone call between South Korea's acting leader and Trump. Acting President Choi Sang-mok has been seeking a conversation with the U.S. president since his inauguration, but the call has yet to take place.

The delay in leader-to-leader engagement has raised concerns that South Korea is falling behind in its diplomacy with the Trump administration, as other nations race to negotiate with Washington to minimize trade penalties.

Beyond bilateral issues, the foreign ministerial meeting underscored that Seoul now faces an even trickier balancing act between Washington and Beijing as Trump adopts a more confrontational stance toward China, according to diplomatic observers.

Unlike Seoul's press release on the meeting, the U.S. statement highlighted that Cho and Rubio "shared concerns over China’s aggression in the South China Sea."

Washington's stance on Beijing was also evident in the trilateral meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi, held later in the day. This marked the first three-way gathering of its kind since leadership changes in both Washington and Tokyo.

On Taiwan, the three officials emphasized the importance of a peaceful resolution to cross-strait issues and opposed any unilateral attempt to change the status quo by force or coercion in the waters of the Indo-Pacific, including the South China Sea.

In their joint statement, they also expressed support for "Taiwan’s meaningful participation in appropriate international organizations."

This marks the first time the issue of Taiwan's participation in international organizations — an idea supported by the U.S. and Japan — was included in trilateral talks.

"This phrase could imply support for Taiwan’s membership in the United Nations, which, of course, will infuriate China. Under its 'One China' principle, Beijing has opposed Taiwan joining any international organization," said Kang Joon-young, an expert on China at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies.

Kang suggested that, despite Trump's skepticism toward multinational diplomacy, he may be looking to raise the Taiwan issue with the broader international community, seeking support from his two Asian allies in doing so.

"Now, South Korea must be more cautious in balancing its relations with China, as Trump will likely push harder for voices on sensitive issues regarding China and Taiwan," the expert added.

South Korea's foreign ministry said its stance on respecting the "One China" policy remains unchanged.

"Our fundamental stance on Taiwan remains unchanged,"a ministry official said, noting that the joint statement was referring to the possibility of Taiwan's participation in an international organization that does not recognize statehood.